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China accepts compromise on arms race in space at UN
Geneva, Aug 08: China said today that it would accept a compromise proposal to try to move forward talks aimed at preventing the arms race in outer space at the conference on disarmament, the United Nations said.
Geneva, Aug 08: China said today that it would accept a compromise proposal to try to move forward talks aimed at preventing the arms race in outer space at the conference on disarmament, the United Nations said.
China's shift brought a first sign of movement on any issue at the permanent 66-nation conference in more than a year, with Russia also signalling tentative approval of the
"five ambassadors" proposal, the Italian President of the conference, Carlo Trezza, said.
"Other interested delegations have informed me that their capitals are studying with interest that suggestion," Trezza added.
The proposal, first tabled by Algeria, Belgium, Chile, Columbia and Sweden in July 2002, and revised since then, includes provisions to set up a special committee to look at the issue. Chinese ambassador Hu Xiaodi said that Beijing was willing to show flexibility by taking up the proposal, although it had previously rejected it on the grounds that it did not go far enough.
The United States earlier last year told the conference that it saw no need for new outer space arms control agreements, but has not taken a position on the "five ambassador" compromise since it was put forward.
Washington had stepped up its opposition in May 2001 when the bush administration revived plans to set up a space-based missile defence system, which china and Russia claim could revive a new type of arms race.
Bureau Report
"Other interested delegations have informed me that their capitals are studying with interest that suggestion," Trezza added.
The proposal, first tabled by Algeria, Belgium, Chile, Columbia and Sweden in July 2002, and revised since then, includes provisions to set up a special committee to look at the issue. Chinese ambassador Hu Xiaodi said that Beijing was willing to show flexibility by taking up the proposal, although it had previously rejected it on the grounds that it did not go far enough.
The United States earlier last year told the conference that it saw no need for new outer space arms control agreements, but has not taken a position on the "five ambassador" compromise since it was put forward.
Washington had stepped up its opposition in May 2001 when the bush administration revived plans to set up a space-based missile defence system, which china and Russia claim could revive a new type of arms race.
Bureau Report