United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/69/32

Sixty-ninth session

Agenda item 94 (b)

The General Assembly,

Recognizing the common interest of all mankind in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes,

Seriously concerned about the possibility of an arms race in outer space, and bearing in mind the importance of articles III and IV of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies,

Conscious that the prevention of an arms race in outer space would avert a grave danger to international peace and security,

Reaffirming that further measures should be examined in the search for agreements to prevent an arms race in outer space,

Emphasizing the paramount importance of strict compliance with the existing legal regime providing for the peaceful use of outer space,

Reaffirming its recognition that the legal regime applicable to outer space by itself does not guarantee prevention of an arms race in outer space and that there is a need to consolidate and reinforce that regime,

Welcoming, in this regard, the draft treaty on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space and of the threat or use of force against outer space objects, introduced by China and the Russian Federation at the Conference on Disarmament in 2008, and the submission of its updated version in 2014,

Considering that transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities are an integral part of the draft treaty referred to above,

Recalling its previous resolutions, including resolutions 45/55 B of 4 December 1990 and 48/74 B of 16 December 1993, which, inter alia, confirm the importance of transparency and confidence-building measures as a means conducive to ensuring the attainment of the objective of the prevention of an arms race in outer space,

Noting the importance of the political statements made by a number of States that they would not be the first to place weapons in outer space,

1. Reaffirms the importance and urgency of the objective to prevent an arms race in outer space and the willingness of States to contribute to reaching this common goal;

2. Reiterates that the Conference on Disarmament, as the single multilateral negotiating forum, has the primary role in the negotiation of a multilateral agreement, or agreements, as appropriate, on the prevention of an arms race in outer space in all its aspects;

3. Urges an early start of substantive work based on the updated draft treaty on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space and of the threat or use of force against outer space objects3 submitted by China and the Russian Federation at the Conference on Disarmament, under the agenda item entitled “Prevention of an arms race in outer space”;

4. Stresses that, while such an agreement is not yet concluded, other measures may contribute to ensuring that weapons are not placed in outer space;

5. Encourages all States, especially space-faring nations, to consider the possibility of upholding as appropriate a political commitment not to be the first to place weapons in outer space;

6. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventieth session the item entitled “No first placement of weapons in outer space”.

62nd plenary meeting 2 December 2014