Russia Calls for Int'l Mechanism to Prevent Deployment of Weapons in Space

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia calls on the international community to start negotiation on the development of a global mechanism banning the deployment of arms in space, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Monday.

"The most important task on a global scale is to prevent an arms race in outer space. We call for the launch of negotiations on the development of an international, legally binding instrument prohibiting the deployment of any types of weapons in outer space, as well as the use of force or the threat of force against space objects," Ryabkov told the Moscow-hosted international Gagarin conference, dedicated to the 60th anniversary of first human spaceflight.

Until such a tool is created, the arms control in space is regulated by the Russia-proposed initiative called No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, which obligates the participating countries to refrain from unilateral deployment of any kind of weapons in outer space. The number of countries which have joined the initiative has topped 30 and continues to grow, the diplomat said.

Ryabkov also recalled the updated Russian-Chinese draft treaty on preventing the placement of weapons in outer space, which they submitted to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva last year. The deputy foreign minister's address was delivered by Alexander Deineko, the deputy director of the Russian foreign ministry's Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control.

Russia has repeatedly stated its commitment to pursue complete demilitarisation and nonproliferation in space.