UN / USE OF VETO OUTER SPACE WEAPONS

Explaining the Russian Federation veto in the Security Council, Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya told the General Assembly that “despite its beautiful sounding title” the United States drafted resolution on the non-placement of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destructions in outer space “not only did not address the declared goal” but “could have entailed far reaching consequences for the entire disarmament process.” UNIFEED

• Video Length: 00:02:54
• Production Date: 6 May 2024
• Asset Language: English; Russian
• Personal Subject: VASSILY A. NEBENZIA; YAMAZAKI KAZUYUKI
• Corporate Name: SECURITY COUNCIL; GENERAL ASSEMBLY
• Subject Topical: OUTER SPACE; NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT; DISARMAMENT; WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
• Geographic Subject: JAPAN; RUSSIAN FEDERATION; UNITED STATES
• MAMS Id: 3204207
• Parent Id: 3204207
• Alternate Title: unifeed240506b

Description

STORY: UN / USE OF VETO OUTER SPACE WEAPONS
TRT: 02:54
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: RUSSIAN / ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 06 MAY 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE - NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, UN Headquarters

06 MAY 2024, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, General Assembly Hall
3. Wide shot, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya walks up to the GA dais
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“On April 24, the Russian Federation voted in the Security Council against the American draft resolution on the non-placement of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destructions in outer space. Despite its beautiful sounding title, that document not only did not address the declared goal - because it has already been achieved by other international agreements - but it could have entailed far reaching consequences for the entire disarmament process.”
5. Med shot, United States delegation
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“It is important to mention another very dangerous element of the American draft. It clearly attempts to use the Security Council to introduce new restrictions which have not previously been enshrined anywhere - including the Outer Space Treaty, which raises serious doubts from a legal point of view. Imposing such obligations without preliminary expert legal and technical discussions is inadmissible.”
7. Wide shot, Japanese Ambassador Yamazaki Kazuyuki walks up to the GA dais
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Yamazaki Kazuyuki, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Japan:
“Outer space must remain a domain free of weapons of mass destruction. This use of the veto casts serious doubt on Russia's commitment to the peaceful use and exploration of outer space and the fundamental principles enshrined in the Outer Space Treaty. The veto is yet another example the same permanent members’ disrespect for the global non-proliferation regime. Such irresponsible action once again disgraces the august body of the Security Council, which bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.”
9. Wide shot, United States Ambassador Robert A. Wood walks up to the GA dais
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert A. Wood, Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs to the United Nations, United States:
“The truth is that Russia currently has several conventional anti-satellite weapons already in orbit, one of which it had tested in 2019. Moreover, Russia has repeatedly threatened satellites for targeting with weapons to include commercial satellites. No one should forget, Russia's November 2021 destructive anti-satellite missile test, which created thousands of pieces of space debris, nor its ongoing jamming of communications and navigation satellites in support of its illegal war in Ukraine.”
11. Wide shot, Wood walks away

Storyline

Explaining the Russian Federation veto in the Security Council, Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya today (6 May) told the General Assembly that “despite its beautiful sounding title” the United States drafted resolution on the non-placement of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destructions in outer space “not only did not address the declared goal” but “could have entailed far reaching consequences for the entire disarmament process.”

Nebenzya told the GA that “another very dangerous element of the American draft” was that it “clearly attempts to use the Security Council to introduce new restrictions which have not previously been enshrined anywhere - including the Outer Space Treaty, which raises serious doubts from a legal point of view.”

He said, “imposing such obligations without preliminary expert legal and technical discussions is inadmissible.”

Ambassador Yamazaki Kazuyuki of Japan, which co-drafted the resolution, told the General Assembly that “outer space must remain a domain free of weapons of mass destruction.”

Kazuyuki said, “this use of the veto casts serious doubt on Russia's commitment to the peaceful use and exploration of outer space and the fundamental principles enshrined in the Outer Space Treaty.”

The veto, he said, “is yet another example the same permanent members’ disrespect for the global non-proliferation regime” and “such irresponsible action once again disgraces the august body of the Security Council, which bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.”

On 24 April the Council rejected the draft resolution, introduced by Japan and the United States, by a vote of 13 in favour to one against, with one abstention (China), that would have had the 15-member organ call on “all States, in particular those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to the objective of the peaceful use of outer space and of the prevention of an arms race in outer space.”

By the draft, the Council would have called on all nations “to refrain from actions contrary to that objective and to the relevant existing treaties in the interest of maintaining international peace and security and promoting international cooperation”.

Council members also rejected an amendment tabled by China and Russia, by a vote of seven in favour to seven against, with one abstention, failing to reach the required nine votes for an adoption.