Russia seeks fresh UN vote to outlaw weapons in space

UNITED NATIONS: Russia has circulated a UN resolution calling on all countries to take urgent action to prevent putting weapons in outer space “for all time” a week after it vetoed a US-Japan resolution to stop an arms race in space.

The Russian draft resolution, obtained Wednesday, goes further than the US-Japan proposal, not only calling for efforts to stop weapons from being deployed in outer space but for preventing “the threat or use of force in outer space,” also “for all time.”

It says this should include deploying weapons “from space against Earth, and from Earth against objects in outer space.”

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council when he vetoed the US-Japan draft that it didn’t go far enough in banning all types of weapons in space. The vetoed resolution focused solely on weapons of mass destruction including nuclear arms, and made no mention of other weapons in space. It would have called on all countries not to develop or deploy nuclear arms or other weapons of mass destruction in space, as banned under a 1967 international treaty that the US and Russia ratified, and to agree to the need to verify compliance. Before the US-Japan resolution was put to a vote on April 24, Russia and China proposed an amendment that would call on all countries, especially those with space capabilities, “to prevent for all time the placement of weapons in outer space, and the threat of use of force in outer spaces.”

The vote was 7 countries in favour, 7 against, and one abstention and the amendment was defeated because it failed to get the minimum 9 “yes” votes in the 15-member Security Council required for adoption.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council after the vote that Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space.

“Today’s veto begs the question: Why? Why, if you are following the rules, would you not support a resolution that reaffirms them?” she asked.

Vetoed resolution as it focused solely on WMD and made no mention of other weapons in space, defends Russia