UN urged to keep outer space free from weapons of mass destruction

Moscow, Sep (UNI) Russia will submit a draft resolution to the United Nations banning the deployment of all types of weapons in outer space, RIA Novosti news agency reported quoting a Russian UN mission official statement today.

The resolution''Transparency and confidence building measures in outer space activities'' was submitted to the UN five years ago and proposed a ban on the deployment of all types of weapons in space.

Russia said that the treaty should set forth obligations including a ban on all objects capable of carrying weapons from orbiting Earth, no deployment and installation of such weapons in space, including other planets, a ban on the threat or use of force against space objects and providing assistance for any activity banned under the agreement.

The US is insisting that the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST), which currently forms the basis of international space law, ratified by Russia, US and Britain, provides sufficient guarantees against placing weapons of mass destruction in space.

However, experts said the OST treaty does not ban the US or any other country from putting weapons into orbit, as long as the weapons are for peaceful purposes.

Recently the US said it favoured the idea of possessing an advanced space defence potential to counter threats, after China tested space weapons, destroying one of its old meteorological satellites with a medium-range ballistic missile, in January.

China has also joined Russia in demanding that the United States observe the treaty and not place any weapons in outer space.

UNI