UN / OUTER SPACE ARMS RACE RESOLUTION
STORY: UN / OUTER SPACE ARMS RACE RESOLUTION
TRT: 03:16
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / NATS
DATELINE: 24 APRIL 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UN Headquarters
24 APRIL 2024, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Wide shot, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“We have only begun to understand the catastrophic ramifications of a nuclear explosion in space, how it could destroy thousands of satellites operated by countries and companies around the world and wipe out the vital communications, scientific, meteorological, agricultural, commercial and national security services we all depend on. With such grave consequences for the long term sustainability of outer space and sustainable development Goals, there should be no doubt placing a nuclear weapon into orbit would be unprecedented, unacceptable and deeply dangerous.”
5. Med shot, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“Today our council is once again being involved in a dirty spectacle prepared by the US and Japan. This is a cynical ploy. We're being tricked. This time it's being promoted by Japan and US who authored the draft resolution where to vote on. At first glance, it looks harmless, it looks positive. Because officially, it's devoted to a topic that's of great importance to the international community. That's the non-placement of WMDs in outer space. Yet behind this fig leaf, there was a cunning plan that was concocted by our Western colleagues. It has nothing to do with the laudable objective I mentioned earlier.”
7. Med shot, Japanese Ambassador
8. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“They are cherry picking WMDs out of all the other kinds of weapons. That's Washington, Tokyo and their allies are trying to camouflage their lack of interest in outer space, in principle, being free from any kinds of weapon. This is something the Russian Federation and China have been insisting on since 2008, as a minimum, it's as if they haven't built a house yet. They haven't even agreed that a house would be built but they're already installing a roof over the spot where the house will be erected.”
9. Wide shot, Council
10. Med shot, China’s Ambassador
11. UPSOUND (English) Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Malta:
“Those in favour of the draft resolution contained in document S/2024/302, please raise their hands.”
12. Various shots, Council vote
13. UPSOUND (English) Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Malta:
“Those against. Abstentions.”
14. Various shots, Council vote
15. UPSOUND (English) Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Malta:
“13 votes in favour, one votes against, one abstention. The draft resolution has not been adopted owing to the negative votes of a permanent member of the Council.”
16. Wide shot, Council
The Russian Federation today (24 Apr) vetoed a resolution sponsored by the United States and Japan aimed at keeping weapons out of outer space.
The Security Council rejected the draft resolution, introduced by Japan and the United States, by a vote of 13 in favour to one against, with China abstaining.
Speaking before the vote, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, “we have only begun to understand the catastrophic ramifications of a nuclear explosion in space, how it could destroy thousands of satellites operated by countries and companies around the world and wipe out the vital communications, scientific, meteorological, agricultural, commercial and national security services we all depend on.”
Thomas-Greenfield said, “with such grave consequences for the long term sustainability of outer space and sustainable development Goals, there should be no doubt placing a nuclear weapon into orbit would be unprecedented, unacceptable and deeply dangerous.”
For his part, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said, “today our council is once again being involved in a dirty spectacle prepared by the US and Japan. This is a cynical ploy. We're being tricked.”
Nebenzya said, “at first glance, it looks harmless, it looks positive. Because officially, it's devoted to a topic that's of great importance to the international community. That's the non-placement of WMDs in outer space. Yet behind this fig leaf, there was a cunning plan that was concocted by our Western colleagues. It has nothing to do with the laudable objective I mentioned earlier.”
He said the US and Japan “are cherry picking WMDs out of all the other kinds of weapons,” and “trying to camouflage their lack of interest in outer space, in principle, being free from any kinds of weapon.”
The Russian Ambassador said “it's as if they haven't built a house yet. They haven't even agreed that a house would be built but they're already installing a roof over the spot where the house will be erected.”
If adopted, the draft resolution 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.
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.
The amendment suggested an additional paragraph, which would have had the Council call on “all States, and above all those with major space capabilities, to take urgent measures to prevent for all time the placement of weapons in outer space and the threat or use of force in outer space, from space against Earth and from Earth against objects in outer space, and to seek through negotiations the early elaboration of appropriate reliably verifiable legally binding multilateral agreements.”