Speech:-

During the UN general assembly's recent plenary session, Armenia was elected
as a member of the UN (COPUOS). By becoming its member, Armenia has
joined five main international agreements regarding the Peaceful Uses of Outer
Space. The Government of Armenia has decided to gradually increase its
activities related to the peaceful use of outer space. To establish the regulatory
framework for outer space activities, a number of legislative and normative acts
were adopted between 2020 and 2021. The National Space Law, adopted in
2020, defines the objectives and principles of outer space activities and grants a
series of privileges to the private sector for operation. In particular, it is
envisaged that the working group will develop and adopt strategic guidelines for
the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. This will ensure the
consistent and sustainable development of this field. Along with the steps aimed
at establishing the necessary national regulatory framework for outer space
activities, Armenia believes that the peaceful and sustainable use of space and
the development of space technologies, including through enhancing
international cooperation and joint partnerships, will contribute to the
achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals established in the 2030
Agenda. Armenia strives to follow the 1976 Outer space Treaty that establishes
that all nations should have free access to space and that exploration of the
cosmos should be a peaceful enterprise “for the benefit and in the interests of all
countries.” A memorandum of understanding on cooperation in peaceful use of
outer space between the governments of Armenia and India was signed.
MOD-
ARMENIA- Q1.
Becoming a COPUOS member, Armenia will further join 5 basic international
agreements on peaceful uses of outer space, including, the Treaty on Principles
Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space,
including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies and others. This proves that
Armenia believes that peace is much needed in outer space. Since the 1980s, the
UN General Assembly has every year passed a resolution on the prevention of
an arms race in outer space (PAROS), the latest of which reminds the
international community of "the importance and urgency of preventing an arms
race”
The prevention of an arms race in outer space is vital yet contemplates and may
even legitimize increased military uses of space. A proper emphasis on the
humanity of space and the preservation of its safety, stability and sustainability
drives the need for peace in outer space.The Outer Space Treaty, and
multilateral dialogue at the UN have for decades provided the anchor to keep
space free from conflict.
Q2.
An anti-ballistic missile (ABM) is a missile designed to counter ballistic
missiles. Ballistic missiles are used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological or
conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic
missile" describes any antimissile system designed to counter ballistic missiles.
The United States first proposed an anti-ballistic missile treaty at the 1967
Glassboro Summit Conference. By 1972 an agreement had been reached to limit
strategic defensive systems. The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer
Space is the forum for the development of international space law. The
Committee has concluded five international treaties and five sets of principles
on space-related activities.

These five treaties deal with issues such as the non-appropriation of outer space

by any one country, arms control, the freedom of exploration, liability for

damage caused by space objects, the safety and rescue of spacecraft and

astronauts, the prevention of harmful interference with space activities and the

environment, the notification and registration of space activities, scientific

investigation and the exploitation of natural resources in outer space and the

settlement of disputes.

The UN has adopted five treaties about outer space over the past six
decades, including the Outer Space Treaty, 1967 and forbids nuclear
weapons in space, and the Moon Agreement, which entered into force in
1984 and mandates the peaceful and environmentally friendly uses of the
moon. The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the
Exploration and Use of Outer Space,
including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
"Rescue Agreement" - The Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return
of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space. The next
comes "Liability Convention '' - The Convention on International Liability for
Damage Caused by Space Objects.
"Registration Convention" - The Convention on Registration of Objects
Launched
Q3.
The UN's interest in the peaceful uses of outer space was first expressed in
1957, soon after the launching of the first Sputnik. Its main concern was that
space should be used for peaceful purposes and that the benefits from space
activities be shared by all nations. Thus, on 13 December 1958, the General
Assembly created an ad hoc Committee (An ad hoc committee is a group of
people assembled to address a specific issue. It is a task force that deals with a
particular topic. These types of committees are gathered in very specific
situations and they are not limited to a particular field of expertise or an
academic branch.)
on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space composed of 18 members who were
tasked with reporting to the Assembly about the activities and resources of the
UN, its specialized agencies and other international bodies relating to the
peaceful uses of outer space.The next year, on 12 December 1959, the ad hoc
committee was established as a permanent body by the General Assembly with
its membership being further increased to 24. It retained the same mission of its
predecessor – to review international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer
space.
Q4.
The already existing solutions stated by NASA include-
International Space Station (ISS)- Launched in 1998, has been a shining
example of international cooperation for over 20 years, bringing many benefits
to humanity. Another advance in international cooperation in the peaceful
exploration of outer space came with the Artemis Accords . Introduced in
October 2020, the Artemis Accords establish a set of principles to guide space
cooperation among countries participating in NASA’s Artemis program, which
will see NASA land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. The
Artemis Accords accords help create a safe and transparent environment which
facilitates exploration, science, and commercial activities for all of humanity to
enjoy.
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the wider
international space community via the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of
Outer Space (COPUOS). promoting international cooperation in support of the
peaceful uses of outer space

Along with the already possible solutions to maintain international cooperation

peaceful outer space, a possible solution is-
It has been a common understanding since the United Nations Committee on the
Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) published its Technical Report on
Space Debris in 1999, that man-made space debris today poses little risk to
ordinary unmanned spacecraft in Earth orbit, but the population of debris is
growing, and the probability of collisions that could lead to potential damage
will consequently increase. It has, however, now become common practice to
consider the collision risk with orbital debris in planning manned missions. So
the implementation of debris mitigation measures today is a prudent and
necessary step towards preserving the space environment for future
generations.
The Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) is an
international forum of space agencies, authorized governmental or inter-
governmental entities for the coordination of activities related to the issues of
human-made and natural debris in space. The primary purpose of the IADC is to
exchange information on space debris research activities between member space
agencies, to facilitate opportunities for co-operation in space debris research, to
review the progress of ongoing co-operative activities and to identify debris
mitigation options. Members of the IADC are the Italian Space Agency (ASI),
Center National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), China National Space
Administration (CNSA), Canadian Space Agency (CSA), German Aerospace
Center (DLR), European Space Agency (ESA), Indian Space Research
Organization (ISRO), in the near future there can be - prohibitions on space-
based technology, there should be a banning of ground based anti-satellite tests
and deployments. Or a protocol could be added to the existing Outer Space
Treaty banning all types of weapons deployment in space, not just weapons of
mass destruction. Moreover, more laws or guidelines regarding legal and
necessary usage of outer space and a temporary ban on weapons of any sort
launched in outer space should be adhered to. EXTRA INFO-

History[edit]
The UN's interest in the peaceful uses of outer space was first expressed in 1957, soon after the
launching of the first Sputnik. Its main concern was that space should be used for peaceful
purposes and that the benefits from space activities be shared by all nations. Thus, on 13
December 1958, the General Assembly created an ad hoc Committee on the Peaceful Uses of
Outer Space composed of 18 members who were tasked with reporting to the Assembly about
the activities and resources of the UN, its specialized agencies and other international bodies
relating to the peaceful uses of outer space.[3]
The next year, on 12 December 1959, the ad hoc committee was established as a permanent
body by the General Assembly with its membership being further increased to 24. It retained the
same mission of its predecessor – to review international cooperation in the peaceful uses of
outer space.[4]
As the subsequent Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union heightened, the
international community quickly became concerned that space could be used for military
purposes. As a result of disagreements between the US and the USSR, the committee did not
meet again until March 1962 after the General Assembly compelled it to via Resolution 1721
(XVI).[5][6] The committee's two subcommittees also met in May and June to discuss scientific,
technical and legal questions. These subcommittees were in unanimity with respect to various
scientific and technical questions while failing to come to an agreement on legal questions. [5]
Resolution 1721 also further cemented the committee's role in preserving space for peaceful
purposes. It stated that international law and the UN Charter applied in outer space and directed
the committee to study and report on legal problems arising from space exploration. It directed all
states to inform the committee of all launches into space for the UN's public registry. It directed
the committee to keep close contact with governmental and non-governmental organizations
concerned with space matters, as well as to act as an exchange of information relating to space
activities. Finally, it directed the committee to review reports of the World Meteorological
Organization and the International Telecommunication Union in regard to outer space activities
relating to weather research and analysis and telecommunication and to submit its comments
and recommendations on these reports to the Economic and Social Council and the General
Assembly.[6][7] Thus the committee aimed to prevent space from becoming a new frontier for
conflict. This gave the committee the unique position of acting as a platform for maintaining outer
space for peaceful purposes at the international level.[8]
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) has acted as the secretariat to the
committee since its creation in 1958. It also provides secretarial services to the committee's
subcommittees.[7][9] All documents related to the committee and its subcommittees are published
by UNOOSA.[10]