Russia urges freeze on Star Wars weapons
Russia has called for a moratorium on deploying weapons in outer space as the first step toward a new international agreement it has proposed which would ban space-based weapons or threats of force against spacecraft and satellites.
‘‘Russia invites the world community to start working out a comprehensive agreement on the non-deployment of weapons in outer space and on the non-use of force against space objects,’’ Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov told the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Ivanov said nations should commit to not placing in the Earth’s orbit any kind of weapons or deploying them on the moon, planets or space stations.
‘‘As the first practical step in this direction, a moratorium could be declared on the deployment of weapons in outer space pending a relevant international agreement,’’ he said.
Russia was later joined by China in demanding that the United States not undermine the arms control treaty that prevents the deployment of weapons in outer space, which they warned would set back global disarmament efforts.
Ivanov reiterated that a US missile defence system would violate the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty between Washington and Moscow.
‘‘Preventing the deployment of weapons in outer space forms an important part of the set of measures designed to ensure strategic stability,’’ Ivanov said.
The administration of US president George W Bush wants Russia to agree to amend or replace the ABM treaty with an arrangement permitting defences against long-range missiles.
China’s UN Ambassador Wang Yingfan echoed Russia’s concern about the planned US missile defence system.
‘‘The success of international disarmament and non-proliferation efforts depends on the maintenance and observance of this treaty,’’ he said.
‘‘The ABM treaty not only involves the signatory countries, but also bears critical importance and relevance to maintaining global strategic balance and stability as well as promoting international disarmament and non-proliferation process,’’ Wang said.
