Review of the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

In 1958, soon after the launching of Earth-orbiting satellites had imparted new intensity to the Cold War, the United Nations General Assembly acted to create the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in hope that the use of space be channeled away from military application and harnessed instead for constructive gain. Recognizing space as another new frontier of human endeavor that held both promise and danger in equal measure, nations aimed to erect a structure that would foster cooperation and shared benefits.

In the past four decades, COPUOS has acted under that mandate to develop and adopt five major outer space treaties, and to promulgate valuable standards that serve as international principles. In doing so, the Committee has generated nothing less than an entirely new branch of international law. COPUOS has also acted as a catalyst, promoting international cooperation in space activities and fostering a broad information exchange among developed and developing countries on the latest advances in space exploration and the beneficial results.

Like COPUOS, the American space program was born at the height of the Cold War amid a looming rivalry for supremacy in missiles and space. Over time, fortunately, that conflict evaporated; and we are now able to see our space activities primarily as an instrument of human advancement and international cooperation.

Against this backdrop the Member States and observers of COPUOS agreed that the time had come to chart a new course for the UN in the peaceful uses of outer space that would come in the form of the 3^rd UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space or UNISPACE III.

UNISPACE III was the last major UN conference of the 20^th Century. Member States and the Office for Outer Space Affairs worked under severe time and resource constraints, but despite this, the conference was a real success from an organizational and substantive standpoint. The Secretariat’s report to the 54^th session of the General Assembly on the unique organizational matters relating to UNISPACE III provides concrete examples for other bodies of the United Nations on convening conference that address important global issues while keeping cost within exiting resources.

In addition to our success in organizing the conference, we were especially pleased with the breadth and scope of the topics considered at UNISPACE III, as well as the extensive involvement of leading scientists, government officials, and private sector representatives. The emphasis on space applications, private space activities, and potential opportunities for cooperation now and into the next century makes this program of work highly relevant to the need s of developed and developing countries.

In reviewing the Vienna Declaration and the conference’s report, we were encouraged that the event produced recommendations and conclusions that supported our overall objectives. Among those areas are:

• Broader participation in activities related to the monitoring and understanding of the Earth and its environment;
  
• Identification of new areas conducive to international cooperation;
  
• Endorsement of and increased support for existing mechanisms utilized for international cooperation;
  
• Strengthening the Space Applications Programme;
  
• Dissemination of information on space research areas and strategies for developing countries;
  
• Improved coordination and less duplication among UN organization involved in space activities;
  
• Greater involvement of young scientists and engineers, as will as industry, in COPUOS activities;
  
• Strengthened regional space cooperation cooperation; and
  
• Promotion of civil and commercial applications and use of outer space.
  

Mr. Chairman, we have before us a final comprehensive report (A/59/174) on the review of the implementation of the recommendations of UNISPACE III, including a plan of action consisting of a set of concrete proposals by the Committee for specific actions to be undertaken in further implementing those recommendations. We support the plan of action and intend to work at the national and international level to ensure that as many of the recommendations as possible are fulfilled. We were particularly pleased with the unique contribution that the Action Teams made to these efforts. Under the voluntary leadership of Governments, this innovative mechanism has allowed the participation of governmental and non-governmental entities in the follow-up to UNISPACE III while preserving the pivotal role of Member States.

In concluding my remarks, I should like to call to the attention of delegates the dedication exhibited by a number of individuals involved in preparing this report. In the first instance, Dr. Karl Doetsch of Canada and former chairman of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee deserves our deep appreciation for being a leading advocate for the concept of the Action Teams. Without this mechanism, COPUOS would never have been in a position to demonstrate the progress in implementing the recommendations of UNISPACE III as reflected in this report.

Next, the staff of the Office for Outer Space Affairs displayed a limitless capacity for hard work in supporting the Action Teams and the drafting of this report. Sergio Camacho and Takemi Chiku were exceptional in this regard.

And finally, the Chairman of the working group charged with drafting this report, Niklas Hedman of Sweden, deserves special thanks. Mr. Hedman willingly took on this challenge over a year ago with the knowledge that he would have to bring together the work of the Action Teams, Member States, international organizations and non-governmental entities into a coherent product. He accomplished this task with a level of leadership, hard work and vision that we have all come to admire.