Lack Of Consensus On UN Space Security Resolution Signals Discord Of Key Actors -UN Expert

The fact that latest UN resolutions on space security were voted on rather than adopted by consensus shows disagreements between key actors, Daniel Porras, a space security fellow at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, told Sputnik

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th December, 2019) Valentina Shvartsman - The fact that latest UN resolutions on space security were voted on rather than adopted by consensus shows disagreements between key actors, Daniel Porras, a space security fellow at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, told Sputnik.

The United Nations General Assembly voted on Thursday in favor of five draft resolutions earlier submitted by Russia. Three of the adopted documents tackle the issue of avoiding a conflict in space - "Transparency and Confidence-building Measures in Outer Space Activities," "Further Practical Measures for the Prevention of an Arms race in Outer Space" and "No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space." None of the resolutions was adopted unanimously, with the United States voting against all three of them.

"The fact that the Resolution on transparency and confidence building measures was voted on rather than adopted by consensus is an indication of the difficult relationships between key space actors," Porras said.

The UN expert underlined that it was difficult to find a single solution that would satisfy all the key actors and address all the challenges in outer space, explaining that the very issues of space security was related to a wide range of geopolitical challenges, including strategic stability and nuclear weapons.

"Another approach might be to focus on specific issues where there is convergence of interests. For example, the international community could discuss rules for the testing of destructive anti-satellite weapons. Such weapons can create harmful debris, even in the testing phases of development," Porras said.

He noted that by setting such rules the international community would be able to mitigate the threat from debris to all space systems.

In late March, India became the fourth country in the world after China, Russia and the United States to test an anti-satellite missile, sparking fears of experts that the move may lead to an arms race in the region as well as overall increased tensions in space.