Pakistan has called for equal access to space-based technologies by all the UN member states, and warned against a possible arms race in outer space. "We share the concern over the dangers of weaponisation and arms race in the outer space, particularly the insistence by states with major space capabilities on incorporating the use of outer space in their military doctrines", Khalid Mahmood, a former Pakistan ambassador, told the General AssemblyÃs Fourth Committee here on Friday.
"This weaponisation of outer space will impede international cooperation for peaceful uses of outer space and jeopardize the security of outer space, which is a common heritage of mankind," he said in a debate on the need for international cooperation in outer space.
"There is need for confidence-building and greater transparency in space activities undertaken by various states," ambassador Mahmood added.
The UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space had a role in bringing about greater transparency in space activities undertaken by various states, the Pakistan delegate said.
While the question of prevention of an arms race in the outer space should continue to be considered at the Conference on Disarmament, he said the work of that committee was not completely irrelevant to the question. Channels of communication should be established between those two bodies. Negotiations should also begin on a comprehensive convention on space law, to regulate issues relating to space debris and the increasing commercialisation of the outer space, to name a few.
Ambassador Mahmood also welcomed the progress on the recently inaugurated United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (SPIDER), adding that the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space had an important role in ensuring that the benefits of space technologies accrued to all countries, particularly the developing world.
The Pakistan delegate said it was important to increase engagement with developing countries, through sharing of experience and new technologies, and non-discriminatory, affordable and timely access to state-of-the-art data and information.
Pakistan, he said, also supported the call for rational and equitable access for all states to the geostationary orbit.
Pakistan had made considerable progress, spearheaded by the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), in applying space sciences to the areas ranging from education to telemedicine, natural resource management, the survey of flood plains, vehicle tracking and many other fields, he said and added that Pakistan was deeply committed to its objectives, and followed the evolution of space activities closely. |