Statement by Pakistan on Thematic Debate on Outer Space
Mr. Chairman,
Outer space is being used by an increasing number of States, both for civilian and military purposes. While our dependence on outer space applications is on the rise, the risk of its weaponization is also growing.
The countries presently enjoying dominance in outer space should not be blinded by this perception. Their current technological edge will not be able to last forever. Other countries are catching up fast. And this time, the developing countries will neither carry the burden of non-proliferation, nor will they accept any discriminatory restrictions which hamper their pursuits in outer space. We need to evolve universal and equitable regulations that can guarantee the exclusively peaceful nature of outer space, before it turns into a new realm of conflict and arms race.
The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 recognized that the exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries and shall be the province of all humanity, that is, our common heritage. The treaty prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons and other WMDs in outer space, but is silent on the placement of other types of weapons. The development and deployment of Anti-Ballistic Missile systems and their integration into space assets has added another dangerous dimension to this issue. These concerns need to be addressed in a comprehensive treaty on PAROS.
Mr. Chairman,
The issue of PAROS has been on the international agenda for a long time. The Conference on Disarmament (CD) has kept it under consideration for over three and a half decades. It is eminently ripe for the commencement of negotiations on a legally binding treaty. The draft Treaty commonly known as PPWT, tabled jointly by the Russian Federation and China in 2008, and updated in 2014, provides a concrete basis for commencement of negotiations.
The start of substantive work on PAROS in the CD would contribute to international and regional peace and security as well as to the strengthening of the global non-proliferation and disarmament regime. It would also end the deadlock in the CD, which is in part due to the refusal of some states to commence negotiations on PAROS. States opposing such negotiations should acknowledge their responsibility in perpetuating the CD s deadlock.
Mr. Chairman,
Pakistan regularly co-sponsors the resolution on PAROS that is recommended to the GA by this Committee every year with the support of an overwhelming majority of states, calling on the CD to establish a working group on PAROS as early as possible. Pakistan has also been co-sponsoring every year since 2013 the resolution titled No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space . We welcome the pioneering move by the Russian Federation to announce the political commitment that it would not be the first to place weapons in outer space, and appreciate similar announcements by other states.
We welcome the adoption of resolution 72/250 by the UNGA last year titled Further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space . A Pakistani expert is part of the GGE established pursuant to this resolution to consider and make recommendations on substantial elements of an international legally binding instrument on PAROS, including, inter alia, on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space. We hope that the GGE would produce a substantive report that fulfils this mandate faithfully.
We note the valuable informal discussions on PAROS that have been held in the CD over the years including this year in its Subsidiary Body 3 that agreed on a substantive report. These deliberations, together with those being held in the GGE, have helped develop a better understanding of different perspectives and reinforce our view that the contentious issues concerning PAROS can be resolved and should be pursued on priority.
Mr. Chairman,
The 2012-2013 GGE on Transparency and Confidence Building Measures (TCBMs) in Outer Space agreed on a consensus report. Its conclusion that TCBMs should be aimed at increasing the security, safety and sustainability of outer space was widely appreciated. Also welcomed was its recommendation to further develop international cooperation between space-faring and non-space-faring nations in the peaceful uses of outer space for the benefit of all States.
While recognizing the value of TCBMs as well as other non-legally binding measures in promoting trust and confidence among states, Pakistan does not see such voluntary measures as a substitute for legally-binding treaty-based obligations. There are clear gaps in the international legal regime governing the use of outer space with grave security implications. These gaps can only be plugged by concluding a treaty on PAROS that prohibits the placement of weapons in outer space and also bans the threat or use of force against outer space objects.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman.