Russia hails UN support of confidence-building in outer space

UNITED NATIONS, October 30 (RIA Novosti) - The unanimous support of a Russian draft proposal on confidence-building measures in outer space will pave the way for talks on an agreement on the demilitarization of space, a Russian diplomat said.

The draft resolution on Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space, submitted by Russia and China, was approved late on Thursday by all 192 members of the UN First Committee (Disarmament and International Security).

"The unanimous support of this resolution indicates that the conditions have been created to use this treaty as a basis for opening talks in the near future on a legally-binding agreement banning the deployment of weapons in outer space," said Viktor Vasilyev, a deputy head of the Russian delegation in the First Committee.

The document envisions, in particular, that the predictability of military activities in outer space would "reduce the probability of emergence of sudden military threats in space and from space, would diminish ambiguities in the strategic situation in outer space and, consequently, would decrease the need for early preparation of states to neutralize such threats."

In the past, only the United States and several island nations opposed similar Russian proposals. The approval of the draft document by the committee practically ensures that the proposals will be adopted by the UN General Assembly in December.

Vasilyev emphasized the fact that the U.S. has decided for the first time to go along with the rest of the world and Washington has noted the importance of bilateral cooperation with Russia on all issues related to outer space.

It clearly shows the shift in U.S. global policies in general and builds up optimism on the success of future talks on demilitarization of outer space, the Russian diplomat concluded.