Italy Joins Commitment To Refrain From Anti-Satellite Missiles Tests In Space - Authority

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani pledged Thursday that Rome will not conduct destructive tests of direct-ascent anti-satellite missiles, joining in its commitment countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Germany, South Korea, as well as Australia

ROME (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th April, 2023) Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani pledged Thursday that Rome will not conduct destructive tests of direct-ascent anti-satellite missiles, joining in its commitment countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Germany, South Korea, as well as Australia.

"Italy is committed to not conducting destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile tests," Tajani said.

Such tests, in which missiles are used to destroy dead or dying satellites, are of great concern around the world because they create large amounts of space debris, making Earth's orbit a more dangerous place, the country's foreign ministry said in a statement,

"Italy will continue to work actively and constructively to increase the safety and sustainability of outer space, a common good that is very important for the vital interests of all nations.

In this extremely important sector, we stand side by side with our main Atlantic and Western partners to support and strengthen a rules-based and conflict-free international order for space activities," Tajani added.

In December 2022, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution on destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing, which urges all states to commit to refraining from conducting the testing of such missiles, which threaten the long-term sustainability of human activity in space. Italy, along with the US, was one of the countries that submitted the document to the General Assembly.