Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
CANADA COULD PREVENT THE WEAPONIZATION OF SPACE
The Disarmament Agenda for the 21st Century, A Treaty to Prohibit Weapons and War in Space
Canada could prevent weaponization of space -Toronto Star April 30
From: "Janet M Eaton" <jeaton [at] ca.inter.net>
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 18:01:44 -0300
What can an ordinary citizen do? Contact Prime Minister Jean Chrétien,
Deputy Prime Minister John Manley and Foreign Minister Bill Graham
immediately. Tell them to lead the way, to be the first to say that
they will sign the Space Preservation Treaty. This is the greatest
challenge of our generation.
* James George is a retired Canadian diplomat who served at the United Nations. He can be contacted at geojam6 [at] sympatico.ca
* Dr. Carol Rosin is president of The Institute for Co-operation in space (ICIS), a non-profit educational foundation.
* Alfred Lambremont Webre is an ICIS international director.
Contact them at rosin [at] west.net (USA) and info [at] peaceinspace.com (Canada).
fyi-janet
==============
THE TORONTO STAR - APRIL 30, 2002
http://www.thestar.com
Canada could prevent weaponization of space
No other country is in a better position to initiate international
action
By James George, Dr. Carol Rosin and Alfred Webre
ON JUNE 13, 2002, the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty will expire
following its unilateral termination by the Bush administration,
leaving an international legal void that will allow the weaponization
of space.
The termination of the ABM Treaty will permit research, development,
testing, manufacturing, production and deployment of space-based
weapons, and space-based components of the U.S. National Missile
Defense System to go forward, instigating a dangerous, costly, and
destabilizing arms race in space,impacting all of us.
Russian Minister of Defence Sergei Ivanov has already suggested that
if the U.S. proceeds, Russia could deploy its own response to the
U.S. space-based weapons system. The stated objectives of the United
States Space Command in "Vision For 2020" are to seize the strategic
high ground of space to "dominate and control."
There is a rapidly growing worldwide movement to stop this potentially
catastrophic arms race in space. This must be stopped before it begins
- this year.
As seen from space, Canada lies between Russia and the United States,
and, geography aside, no country is in a better position to initiate
international action. Since 1982, Canada has led the growing United
Nations lobby opposing weapons in space.
Deputy Prime Minister John Manley stated on July 26, 2001: "Canada
would be very happy to launch an initiative to see an international
convention preventing the weaponization of space." With the strong
support of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the U.N. General
Assembly last Nov. 29 voted 156-0 to prevent an arms race in space.
Almost everyone wants it.
On Sept. 28, 2001, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov had invited
"the world community to start working out a comprehensive agreement on
the non-deployment of weapons in outer space." At the U.N. Conference
on Disarmament in June last year, China had taken a similar position.
But neither Russia nor China will initiate binding action while the
United States is unbound. If Canada does not act now, who will? If we
do, we will generate far more support and respect than we gathered
over our land mines initiative. We could turn the tide that will lift
all ships and preserve space as a weapons-free commons.
In the United States, polls confirm that this result is what the great
majority of Americans want. When there is almost unanimous
international pressure, as well as very strong domestic support, the
United States will change course.
In the next few days, every head of government will be receiving, from
the Institute for Cooperation in Space, a Space Preservation Treaty,
which is the international companion to the legislation introduced as
H.R. 3616, the Space Preservation Act of 2002, in the United States
House of Representatives on Jan. 23.
The act requires the U.S. to implement an international treaty that
will ban all space-based weapons and the use of weapons to destroy or
damage objects in space that are in orbit to preserve the
co-operative, peaceful uses of space for the benefit of all humankind.
The Space Preservation Treaty is an effective and verifiable world
agreement that also will:
* Implement a ban on space-based weapons.
* Implement a ban on the use of weapons to destroy or
damage objects in space that are in orbit.
* Immediately order the permanent termination of
research and development, testing, manufacturing, production and
deployment of all space-based weapons.
The treaty allows for space exploration, research, development,
testing, manufacturing, production and deployment of civil, commercial
and defence activities in space that are not related to space-based
weapons. Under the terms of the treaty, each nation having signed the
treaty shall immediately work toward supporting other non-signatory
nations in signing, ratifying and implementing the treaty.
Once three nations sign it and deposit it at the United Nations, Annan
is required to report publicly to the U.N. General Assembly every 90
days on the progress of implementing a permanent ban on space-based
weapons and on the progress of signing and ratifying the treaty.
Once 20 nations have signed and ratified the Space Preservation
Treaty, it will go into force; the outer space peacekeeping agency
will be funded and empowered to monitor and enforce the ban on
space-based weapons.
Canada's signing of the treaty will encourage Russia to maintain
Russia's and China's longstanding commitment to keep space
weapons-free and to sign the treaty as well. Together, Canada, Russia,
China, and many other nations already on record as supporting such a
treaty, can lead the nations of the world in signing the Space
Preservation Treaty.
We can and must stop the weaponization of space before it occurs. The
signing of the Space Preservation Treaty will put needed pressure on
the U.S. Congress and administration to sign this verifiable and
enforceable agreement. This permanent ban on all space-based weapons,
worldwide, will transform the war industry into a space industry that
will stimulate the creation of clean and safe technologies, products
and services, including new jobs and training programs, that can and
will be applied directly to solving urgent human and environmental
problems.
What can an ordinary citizen do? Contact Prime Minister Jean Chrétien,
Deputy Prime Minister John Manley and Foreign Minister Bill Graham
immediately. Tell them to lead the way, to be the first to say that
they will sign the Space Preservation Treaty. This is the greatest
challenge of our generation.
James George is a retired Canadian diplomat who served at the United Nations. He can be contacted at geojam6 [at] sympatico.ca
Dr. Carol Rosin is president of The Institute for Co-operation in Space (ICIS), a non-profit educational foundation.
Alfred Lambremont Webre is an ICIS international director.
Contact them at rosin [at] west.net (USA) and info [at] peaceinspace.com (Canada).
The ICIS Web site is http://www.peaceinspace.com
Copyright 1996-2002. Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights
reserved.
--
For MAI-not (un)subscription information, posting guidelines and
links to other MAI sites please see http://mai.flora.org/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
==========================================
The Disarmament Agenda for the 21st Century
A Treaty to Prohibit Weapons and War in Space
The NGO Committee on Disarmament, Inc. in cooperation with the UN Department of Disarmament Affairs and the UN Department of Public Information presented panel discussions for the "The Disarmament Agenda for the 21st Century" in the Church Center, 777 UN Plaza, UN Headquarters, New York.
Thursday October 11, the panel entitled, "A Treaty to Prohibit Weapons and War in Space" included Ambassador Christopher Westdal of Canada, Ambassador Hu Xiaodi of China, Professor Kurt Gottfried of Cornell University and Dr. Craig Eisendrath, a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy, Washington, DC. Dr. Eisendrath co-drafted a Treaty on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
The Outer space Treaty only bans weapons of mass destruction (wmd) in space. Issues to be considered by the panel included a ban on the deployment and use of all kinds of weapons in space, a ban on testing, deployment and use of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons, and a code of conduct in space.
Ambassador Christopher Westdal of Canada said that a treaty prohibiting weapons in outer space has long been a Canadian priority. The international community needs outer space for commercial development and telecommunications. Canada was the first to launch a telecommunications satellite. Now there are over 500 active satellites for weather, military and environmental surveillance, economic development and verification of arms control treaties with National Technical Means. Weaponization of space will lead to an arms race in space. Canada supports a Convention to Ban Weaponization of Space, which would be an effective arms control and non proliferation initiative. An Ad Hoc Group could prepare for negotiations in the Geneva Conference on Disarmament (CD) to elaborate legal space policies. The debate should begin soon.
Ambassador Hu Xiaodi said the Chinese Delegation is promoting an international legal instrument to prevent weaponization and an arms race in outer space. The working paper was submitted to the Conference on Disarmament in 2000. Entitled "China's Position on and Suggestions for Ways to Address the Issue of Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space", the instrument, "Treaty on the Prevention of the Weaponization of Outer Space" includes a preamble, basic obligations, definitions of outer space and weapons, national measures of implementation, peaceful uses of outer space, confidence building measures, settlement of disputes, an executive organization and verification measures. The Chinese delegation believes that the treaty is tentative, needing further revision, amendment and improvement. Ambassador Hu explained that the basic obligations include no testing, deployment, or use of weapons in space; no tests, deployment or use of weapons on land, sea or in the atmosphere for space weapons; no use of launched objects for combat activities; no assistance to other countries, regions, international organizations or entities for prohibited activities in the treaty. China would like to have the US in the process if possible. The National Missile Defense, NMD, could move towards weaponization of space. War in space is an imminent, real danger in this century with the scientific and technological developments of lazar weapons, kinetic and high precision guidance systems.
Professor Kurt Gottfried explained the argument for protection of satellites in space with weapons that are not in the Outer Space Treaty, which only addresses weapons of mass destruction. US military operations are very dependant upon satellite guidance and signals to aircraft, missiles, helicopters, submarines and ground forces. Satellites also identify targets. Historically the US and the USSR refrained from research for weapons in outer space, since the technology had not been fully developed. However, the US position is changing and lazer weapons are being considered to protect US space assets. If the ABM is modified, it would be important to have an Outer Space Treaty banning weapons that could target ground operations. The US could consider constraints on weapons of mass destruction combined with an Outer Space Treaty.
Dr. Craig Eisendrath said the US military operations in Afghanistan, and formerly in Kosovo, have shown US superiority and dominanation of outer space with surveillance and guidance of air, land and sea forces. The US Space Command is researching kinetic and lazer weapons. The technology is rapidly developing and it seems that the AMB Treaty’s days are numbered. It does not seem possible to restrict weapons in space as military intelligence is vital for mutual deterrence and arms control agreements. Abrogation of the ABM treaty jeopardizes all arms control agreements. The US should desist in the plan to dominate space as it threatens all other countries which would lead to competition and a possible arms race in space. The costs of space weaponization are prohibitive and the threats to civilization and social causes must be considered. During the question period the consensus emphasized the enormous threat to humanity that could develop with militarization and weapons in space of any kind. Suggestions were made for action in the UN Conference on Disarmament for a treaty to ban all weapons in space. Public and media pressure to the US Congress should be applied. At this moment the US Congress is not funding weapons in space, but the pressure from the US military will continue.
Nancy Colton, UN Representative, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.
Alternate Secretary, Board of Directors, NGO Committee on Disarmament.
777 UN Plaza,New York, New York, 10017. USA
E-mail: disarmtimes [at] igc.org
home | introduction | resources | key issues
timeline | biographies | ethics | educators
support | search | contact us
© Copyright 2001
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
Reproduction of material from this site is encouraged.
Please acknowledge source and provide
Foundation contact information in all copies
From: "Janet M Eaton" <jeaton [at] ca.inter.net>
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 18:01:44 -0300
What can an ordinary citizen do? Contact Prime Minister Jean Chrétien,
Deputy Prime Minister John Manley and Foreign Minister Bill Graham
immediately. Tell them to lead the way, to be the first to say that
they will sign the Space Preservation Treaty. This is the greatest
challenge of our generation.
* James George is a retired Canadian diplomat who served at the United Nations. He can be contacted at geojam6 [at] sympatico.ca
* Dr. Carol Rosin is president of The Institute for Co-operation in space (ICIS), a non-profit educational foundation.
* Alfred Lambremont Webre is an ICIS international director.
Contact them at rosin [at] west.net (USA) and info [at] peaceinspace.com (Canada).
fyi-janet
==============
THE TORONTO STAR - APRIL 30, 2002
http://www.thestar.com
Canada could prevent weaponization of space
No other country is in a better position to initiate international
action
By James George, Dr. Carol Rosin and Alfred Webre
ON JUNE 13, 2002, the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty will expire
following its unilateral termination by the Bush administration,
leaving an international legal void that will allow the weaponization
of space.
The termination of the ABM Treaty will permit research, development,
testing, manufacturing, production and deployment of space-based
weapons, and space-based components of the U.S. National Missile
Defense System to go forward, instigating a dangerous, costly, and
destabilizing arms race in space,impacting all of us.
Russian Minister of Defence Sergei Ivanov has already suggested that
if the U.S. proceeds, Russia could deploy its own response to the
U.S. space-based weapons system. The stated objectives of the United
States Space Command in "Vision For 2020" are to seize the strategic
high ground of space to "dominate and control."
There is a rapidly growing worldwide movement to stop this potentially
catastrophic arms race in space. This must be stopped before it begins
- this year.
As seen from space, Canada lies between Russia and the United States,
and, geography aside, no country is in a better position to initiate
international action. Since 1982, Canada has led the growing United
Nations lobby opposing weapons in space.
Deputy Prime Minister John Manley stated on July 26, 2001: "Canada
would be very happy to launch an initiative to see an international
convention preventing the weaponization of space." With the strong
support of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the U.N. General
Assembly last Nov. 29 voted 156-0 to prevent an arms race in space.
Almost everyone wants it.
On Sept. 28, 2001, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov had invited
"the world community to start working out a comprehensive agreement on
the non-deployment of weapons in outer space." At the U.N. Conference
on Disarmament in June last year, China had taken a similar position.
But neither Russia nor China will initiate binding action while the
United States is unbound. If Canada does not act now, who will? If we
do, we will generate far more support and respect than we gathered
over our land mines initiative. We could turn the tide that will lift
all ships and preserve space as a weapons-free commons.
In the United States, polls confirm that this result is what the great
majority of Americans want. When there is almost unanimous
international pressure, as well as very strong domestic support, the
United States will change course.
In the next few days, every head of government will be receiving, from
the Institute for Cooperation in Space, a Space Preservation Treaty,
which is the international companion to the legislation introduced as
H.R. 3616, the Space Preservation Act of 2002, in the United States
House of Representatives on Jan. 23.
The act requires the U.S. to implement an international treaty that
will ban all space-based weapons and the use of weapons to destroy or
damage objects in space that are in orbit to preserve the
co-operative, peaceful uses of space for the benefit of all humankind.
The Space Preservation Treaty is an effective and verifiable world
agreement that also will:
* Implement a ban on space-based weapons.
* Implement a ban on the use of weapons to destroy or
damage objects in space that are in orbit.
* Immediately order the permanent termination of
research and development, testing, manufacturing, production and
deployment of all space-based weapons.
The treaty allows for space exploration, research, development,
testing, manufacturing, production and deployment of civil, commercial
and defence activities in space that are not related to space-based
weapons. Under the terms of the treaty, each nation having signed the
treaty shall immediately work toward supporting other non-signatory
nations in signing, ratifying and implementing the treaty.
Once three nations sign it and deposit it at the United Nations, Annan
is required to report publicly to the U.N. General Assembly every 90
days on the progress of implementing a permanent ban on space-based
weapons and on the progress of signing and ratifying the treaty.
Once 20 nations have signed and ratified the Space Preservation
Treaty, it will go into force; the outer space peacekeeping agency
will be funded and empowered to monitor and enforce the ban on
space-based weapons.
Canada's signing of the treaty will encourage Russia to maintain
Russia's and China's longstanding commitment to keep space
weapons-free and to sign the treaty as well. Together, Canada, Russia,
China, and many other nations already on record as supporting such a
treaty, can lead the nations of the world in signing the Space
Preservation Treaty.
We can and must stop the weaponization of space before it occurs. The
signing of the Space Preservation Treaty will put needed pressure on
the U.S. Congress and administration to sign this verifiable and
enforceable agreement. This permanent ban on all space-based weapons,
worldwide, will transform the war industry into a space industry that
will stimulate the creation of clean and safe technologies, products
and services, including new jobs and training programs, that can and
will be applied directly to solving urgent human and environmental
problems.
What can an ordinary citizen do? Contact Prime Minister Jean Chrétien,
Deputy Prime Minister John Manley and Foreign Minister Bill Graham
immediately. Tell them to lead the way, to be the first to say that
they will sign the Space Preservation Treaty. This is the greatest
challenge of our generation.
James George is a retired Canadian diplomat who served at the United Nations. He can be contacted at geojam6 [at] sympatico.ca
Dr. Carol Rosin is president of The Institute for Co-operation in Space (ICIS), a non-profit educational foundation.
Alfred Lambremont Webre is an ICIS international director.
Contact them at rosin [at] west.net (USA) and info [at] peaceinspace.com (Canada).
The ICIS Web site is http://www.peaceinspace.com
Copyright 1996-2002. Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights
reserved.
--
For MAI-not (un)subscription information, posting guidelines and
links to other MAI sites please see http://mai.flora.org/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
==========================================
The Disarmament Agenda for the 21st Century
A Treaty to Prohibit Weapons and War in Space
The NGO Committee on Disarmament, Inc. in cooperation with the UN Department of Disarmament Affairs and the UN Department of Public Information presented panel discussions for the "The Disarmament Agenda for the 21st Century" in the Church Center, 777 UN Plaza, UN Headquarters, New York.
Thursday October 11, the panel entitled, "A Treaty to Prohibit Weapons and War in Space" included Ambassador Christopher Westdal of Canada, Ambassador Hu Xiaodi of China, Professor Kurt Gottfried of Cornell University and Dr. Craig Eisendrath, a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy, Washington, DC. Dr. Eisendrath co-drafted a Treaty on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
The Outer space Treaty only bans weapons of mass destruction (wmd) in space. Issues to be considered by the panel included a ban on the deployment and use of all kinds of weapons in space, a ban on testing, deployment and use of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons, and a code of conduct in space.
Ambassador Christopher Westdal of Canada said that a treaty prohibiting weapons in outer space has long been a Canadian priority. The international community needs outer space for commercial development and telecommunications. Canada was the first to launch a telecommunications satellite. Now there are over 500 active satellites for weather, military and environmental surveillance, economic development and verification of arms control treaties with National Technical Means. Weaponization of space will lead to an arms race in space. Canada supports a Convention to Ban Weaponization of Space, which would be an effective arms control and non proliferation initiative. An Ad Hoc Group could prepare for negotiations in the Geneva Conference on Disarmament (CD) to elaborate legal space policies. The debate should begin soon.
Ambassador Hu Xiaodi said the Chinese Delegation is promoting an international legal instrument to prevent weaponization and an arms race in outer space. The working paper was submitted to the Conference on Disarmament in 2000. Entitled "China's Position on and Suggestions for Ways to Address the Issue of Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space", the instrument, "Treaty on the Prevention of the Weaponization of Outer Space" includes a preamble, basic obligations, definitions of outer space and weapons, national measures of implementation, peaceful uses of outer space, confidence building measures, settlement of disputes, an executive organization and verification measures. The Chinese delegation believes that the treaty is tentative, needing further revision, amendment and improvement. Ambassador Hu explained that the basic obligations include no testing, deployment, or use of weapons in space; no tests, deployment or use of weapons on land, sea or in the atmosphere for space weapons; no use of launched objects for combat activities; no assistance to other countries, regions, international organizations or entities for prohibited activities in the treaty. China would like to have the US in the process if possible. The National Missile Defense, NMD, could move towards weaponization of space. War in space is an imminent, real danger in this century with the scientific and technological developments of lazar weapons, kinetic and high precision guidance systems.
Professor Kurt Gottfried explained the argument for protection of satellites in space with weapons that are not in the Outer Space Treaty, which only addresses weapons of mass destruction. US military operations are very dependant upon satellite guidance and signals to aircraft, missiles, helicopters, submarines and ground forces. Satellites also identify targets. Historically the US and the USSR refrained from research for weapons in outer space, since the technology had not been fully developed. However, the US position is changing and lazer weapons are being considered to protect US space assets. If the ABM is modified, it would be important to have an Outer Space Treaty banning weapons that could target ground operations. The US could consider constraints on weapons of mass destruction combined with an Outer Space Treaty.
Dr. Craig Eisendrath said the US military operations in Afghanistan, and formerly in Kosovo, have shown US superiority and dominanation of outer space with surveillance and guidance of air, land and sea forces. The US Space Command is researching kinetic and lazer weapons. The technology is rapidly developing and it seems that the AMB Treaty’s days are numbered. It does not seem possible to restrict weapons in space as military intelligence is vital for mutual deterrence and arms control agreements. Abrogation of the ABM treaty jeopardizes all arms control agreements. The US should desist in the plan to dominate space as it threatens all other countries which would lead to competition and a possible arms race in space. The costs of space weaponization are prohibitive and the threats to civilization and social causes must be considered. During the question period the consensus emphasized the enormous threat to humanity that could develop with militarization and weapons in space of any kind. Suggestions were made for action in the UN Conference on Disarmament for a treaty to ban all weapons in space. Public and media pressure to the US Congress should be applied. At this moment the US Congress is not funding weapons in space, but the pressure from the US military will continue.
Nancy Colton, UN Representative, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.
Alternate Secretary, Board of Directors, NGO Committee on Disarmament.
777 UN Plaza,New York, New York, 10017. USA
E-mail: disarmtimes [at] igc.org
home | introduction | resources | key issues
timeline | biographies | ethics | educators
support | search | contact us
© Copyright 2001
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
Reproduction of material from this site is encouraged.
Please acknowledge source and provide
Foundation contact information in all copies
For more information:
http://www.globenet.free-online.co.uk
Add Your Comments
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$230.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network