Seven UN Security Council members voiced their opposition
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) rejected a resolution proposal put forward by Russia calling on countries to “take urgent measures to prevent the placement of weapons in outer space.” This was reported by TASS citing its correspondent.
Seven countries, including Russia and China, supported the resolution, while seven others opposed it. Switzerland chose not to vote at all. A resolution is considered adopted if it is supported by nine UNSC members and no one casts a veto.
The Russian resolution project includes 10 points urging the global community, especially countries with resources for space exploration, to “take urgent measures to prevent the placement of weapons in outer space and the threat of using force in space, as well as from space to Earth and from Earth to objects in space.” Additionally, the document calls for the development of relevant legally binding multilateral agreements within the negotiating process.
In addition, the project calls for political commitments to prevent an arms race in space and to negotiate the development of corresponding international legal treaties that prohibit the placement of weapons in outer space.
According to the Russian resolution project, all countries that are parties to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty are obliged to adhere to its provisions, including not placing objects in near-Earth orbit that contain nuclear weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction.