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COPUOS/T.551 

Page 4 

 

 

application of the five United Nations treaties on outer 

space.  This discussion demonstrates that the interest in 

the development of international space law on the part 

of COPUOS member States has steadily increased.  In 

that context, we call for giving our support to the 

suggestion made by the delegations of Russian, 

Ukraine and Kazakhstan in the Legal Subcommittee’s 

session to issue a questionnaire on the further ways of 

developing international space law. 

 

 

The issue of the definition and delimitation of 

outer space, which was also actively discussed at the 

Legal Subcommittee’s session, is worthy of close 

attention, in our view.  Specifically, this was 

demonstrated by the work that led up to the Plenary 

session of the Disarmament Conference, starting in 

Geneva as we speak.  It will touch upon a number of 

issues that directly relate to this matter.  And this, once 

again, highlights the importance of finding an early 

compromise approach to the solution of this problem. 

 

 

Mr. Chairman, I have already mentioned the 

fact that this year has seen a number of anniversaries of 

milestones in space activities.  The next year, 2007, 

will also have a number of important dates, important 

for the history of space exploration. 

 

 

Next year, we are going to celebrate the one 

hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the birth of the 

pioneer of space exploration, as we know it, the creator 

of rocket motion theory, Russian scientist, Konstantin 

Siolkovski(?). 

 

 

As well as the Centenary of the birth of the 

Soviet design of the first space rocket systems, which 

were used to make the first manned spaceflights in 

history and the first-ever time when man stepped out 

into outer space.  I am referring, of course, to Sergei 

Korolov(?). 

 

 

Another important date, obviously, is the 

fiftieth anniversary of the launch of the first satellite. 

 

 

To mark these festive dates, the Russian 

Federation plans to hold a number of scientific and 

technological, as well as educational events, including 

those that will be internationally attended.  The 

Russian delegation will make a special presentation in 

the course of this session of COPUOS. 

 

 

At this point, I would like to take this 

opportunity and invite all interested delegations, as 

well as representatives of the United Nations Office for 

Outer Space Affairs, to take part in these events. 

 

 

Mr. Chairman, the Russian delegation 

reserves the right to take the floor again and address 

the various items on the agenda as we come to them. 

 

 Thank 

you 

very 

much. 

 

 

The CHAIRMAN 

(interpretation from 

French):  Thank you Mr. Gonchar for your statement.  

As we all know, Russia is a major actor in the outer 

space arena and the distinguished delegate of the 

Russian Federation has reminded all of us of the 

extremely useful and constructive contribution made to 

our debate, be it the legal aspects, safety standards for 

the use of nuclear power sources in outer space, the 

issue of space debris, and, of course, again, our friends 

from the Russian Federation have mentioned and will 

speak again about the programme of events planned for 

next year to mark the various anniversaries related to 

outer space exploration. 

 

 

I think we have received a question from 

Ambassador González of Chile.  Ambassador? 

 

 

Mr. R. GONZÁLEZ ANINAT (Chile) 

(interpretation from Spanish):  Thank you Mr. 

Chairman.  I have a question.  It has to do with the 

statement made by the distinguished representative of 

the Russian Federation. 

 

 

Before I ask my question, however, let me 

congratulate you, Mr. Chairman, on your election to 

this important post and I thank and commend your 

predecessor. 

 

 

I believe that small countries, like mine, also 

have an important role to play in the work of this 

Committee, even though we do not have space 

technology as such.  We hope to be able to make our 

own significant contribution towards international 

cooperation in outer space. 

 

 

And let me, once again, point out the 

following, in the wake of the Russian representative’s 

statement. 

 

 

We support the suggestion that outer space 

law should be brought up to date in the ways that have 

been described here.  When we look at the existing 

outer space treaties, which are subject of an ongoing 

discussion within the Legal Subcommittee, we have to 

admit that some of these instruments are outdated and 

have to be reviewed and brought up to date in 

conformity with the recent breakthroughs in science 

and technology. 

 

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COPUOS/T.551 

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It has to be pointed out that some of these 

instruments have existed as a thing on to itself, not 

sufficiently open and not sufficiently in keeping with 

the spirit of outer space exploration and the truly 

international spirit of outer space exploration.  I am 

thinking in particular of my country, of other countries 

of Latin America, we really need a free flow of 

information, an opportunity to share in the latest 

breakthroughs and accomplishments.  It is a sort of a 

paradox that those countries that are always speaking 

out in favour of the freedom of information, free 

exchange, free trade and so on and so forth, seem to 

forget those same ideological principles when it is a 

matter relating to what they perceive as their own 

national security.  As a result, often times, existing 

principles and instruments, underlying space activities, 

remain a dead letter and are not truly applied in 

practice, or are applied in a selective way.  We all 

know very well the kind of problems that I am 

referring to. 

 

 

Perhaps the Legal Subcommittee of 

COPUOS, its Working Group on Outer Space Law, 

could tackle these issues in a more practical and 

immediate way.  I know a number of delegations 

would be quite interested in participating in such work.  

Some very important events have already taken place, 

such as the Legal Seminar held in Bangalore, India, on 

matters pertaining to outer space law.  There is a lot of 

information available in the world. 

 

 

But if we look at the existing legal 

instruments, we see a number of contradictions, lack of 

logic, or lack of logical connection between what is 

enshrined in these treaties and what constitutes the 

actual day-to-day practice of outer space activities in 

terms of the disparity between outer space powers, or 

space-faring nations, and smaller nations that do not 

benefit from space technologies.  We believe that the 

interest of all countries are important.  Our interests are 

as important as the interests of those States that 

actually possess outer space technology.  The matter 

has been discussed on many occasions and in great 

detail but the fact remains that we need to come up 

with a practical mechanism of revising existing treaties 

and the way they are applied.  This is badly needed 

important work and it should result in an updating of 

all aspects of outer space law, taking into account the 

appearance of new actors in the international arena, 

new technologies.  Next year we are going to mark the 

fiftieth anniversary of the Space Treaty and 50 years is 

an eternity in terms of space exploration, where now an 

updating is badly needed.  We know there are many 

things in today’s space activities that really do not 

satisfy us.  When I say us, I mean developing 

countries. 

 

 

These issues should be in the forefront of our 

attention and it should be reflected in the report of this 

Committee’s session.  We, specifically countries of 

Latin America, are making this statement while being 

fully aware of the effort required in that regard, a huge 

effort. 

 

 

We have tried to do our part by convening the 

Space Conference of the Americas in Quito in June of 

this year, in Quito, Ecuador.  I have been to Quito at 

the invitation of the Government of Ecuador and I have 

seen, with my own eyes, the enthusiasm, the energetic, 

dynamic way that Ecuador and other Latin American 

countries are preparing for this Conference.  So there is 

no doubt that it will be a major milestone in the history 

of international cooperation of outer space. 

 

 

I would also like to recall the results of the 

Preparatory Meeting held in Cartagena, Colombia, 

which was very important, which has led to a number 

of important steps, both within the framework of the 

United Nations and broadly in the international arena. 

 

 

Mr. Chairman, I believe that the matter of 

regional cooperation, pooling our efforts over specific 

issues, specific goals and objectives, is the way to 

proceed.  And in that regard, the Quito Conference, we 

believe, will be a major step in the right direction. 

 

 

Having said that, we are somewhat surprised 

to see that the 2005 United Nations document on 

Development makes no mention of some of the most 

important regional cooperation activities that we have 

undertaken in our part of the world.  And this is not 

just to do with outer space but the use of space and 

space-related technologies for things here on Earth, 

such as early warning, natural disasters, tele-medicine, 

earthquake prediction and so on and so forth.  There is 

nothing in that document.  And that is unfortunate, in 

our view. 

 

 

The next report of that nature for 2006 will 

focus on science and technology especially and it is 

absolutely imperative that the issues that I have raised 

be considered there.  I do not know why they have 

been disregarded in the past.  Maybe it is the lack of 

political will, maybe it is something else.  But the use 

of space-based technologies for very important and, 

indeed, essential objectives of sustainable development 

and raising the well-being of our nations in our part of 

the world, have been overlooked.  I believe it is really 

of paramount importance, Mr. Chairman, for us to 

make sure that this situation is rectified, that these 

matters are duly considered, not just by this Committee 

but by other agencies of the United Nations and its 

---