UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥� Russia on Wednesday vetoed a U.N. resolution sponsored by the United States and Japan calling on all nations to prevent a dangerous nuclear arms race in outer space, calling it 鈥渁 dirty spectacle鈥� that cherry picks weapons of mass destruction from all other weapons that should also be banned.
The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13 in favor, Russia opposed and China abstaining.
The resolution would have called on all countries not to develop or deploy nuclear arms or other weapons of mass destruction in space, as banned under a 1967 international treaty that included the U.S. and Russia, and to agree to the need to verify compliance.
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after the vote that Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space.
鈥淭oday鈥檚 veto begs the question: Why? Why, if you are following the rules, would you not support a resolution that reaffirms them? What could you possibly be hiding,鈥� she asked. 鈥淚t鈥檚 baffling. And it鈥檚 a shame.鈥�
Russia鈥檚 U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia dismissed the resolution as 鈥渁bsolutely absurd and politicized,鈥� and said it didn鈥檛 go far enough in banning all types of weapons in space.
Russia and China proposed an amendment to the U.S.-Japan draft that would call on all countries, especially those with major space capabilities, 鈥渢o prevent for all time the placement of weapons in outer space, and the threat of use of force in outer spaces.鈥�
The vote was 7 countries in favor, 7 against, and one abstention and the amendment was defeated because it failed to get the minimum 9 鈥測es鈥� votes required for adoption.
The U.S. opposed the amendment, and after the vote Nebenzia addressed the U.S. ambassador saying: 鈥淲e want a ban on the placement of weapons of any kind in outer space, not just WMDs (weapons of mass destruction). But you don鈥檛 want that. And let me ask you that very same question. Why?鈥�
He said much of the U.S. and Japan鈥檚 actions become clear 鈥渋f we recall that the U.S. and their allies announced some time ago plans to place weapons 鈥� in outer space.鈥�
Nebenzia accused the U.S. of blocking a Russian-Chinese proposal since 2008 for a treaty against putting weapons in outer space.
Thomas-Greenfield accused Russia of undermining global treaties to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, irresponsibly invoking 鈥渄angerous nuclear rhetoric,鈥� walking away from several of its arms control obligations, and refusing to engage 鈥渋n substantive discussions around arms control or risk reduction.鈥�
She called Wednesday鈥檚 vote 鈥渁 real missed opportunity to rebuild much-needed trust in existing arms control obligations.鈥�
Thomas-Greenfield鈥檚 announcement of the resolution on March 18 followed in February that Russia has obtained a 鈥渢roubling鈥� , although such a weapon is not operational yet.
Putin declared later that Moscow has in space, claiming that the country has only developed space capabilities similar to those of the U.S.
Thomas-Greenfield said before the vote that the world is just beginning to understand 鈥渢he catastrophic ramifications of a nuclear explosion in space.鈥�
It could destroy 鈥渢housands of satellites operated by countries and companies around the world 鈥� and wipe out the vital communications, scientific, meteorological, agricultural, commercial, and national security services we all depend on,鈥� she said.
The defeated draft resolution said 鈥渢he prevention of an arms race in outer space would avert a grave danger for international peace and security.鈥� It would have urged all countries carrying out activities in exploring and using outer space to comply with international law and the U.N. Charter.
The draft would have affirmed that countries that ratified the 1967 Outer Space Treaty must comply with their obligations not to put in orbit around the Earth 鈥渁ny objects鈥� with weapons of mass destruction, or install them 鈥渙n celestial bodies, or station such weapons in outer space.鈥�
The treaty, ratified by some 114 countries, including the U.S. and Russia, prohibits the deployment of 鈥渘uclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction鈥� in orbit or the stationing of 鈥渨eapons in outer space in any other manner.鈥�
The draft resolution emphasized 鈥渢he necessity of further measures, including political commitments and legally binding instruments, with appropriate and effective provisions for verification, to prevent an arms race in outer space in all its aspects.鈥�
It reiterated that the U.N. Conference on Disarmament, based in Geneva, has the primary responsibility to negotiate agreements on preventing an arms race in outer space.
The 65-nation body has achieved few results and has largely devolved into a venue for countries to voice criticism of others鈥� weapons programs or defend their own. The draft resolution would have urged the conference 鈥渢o adopt and implement a balanced and comprehensive program of work.鈥�
At the March council meeting where the U.S.-Japan initiative was launched, U.N. Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres warned that 鈥済eopolitical tensions and mistrust have escalated to its highest point in decades.鈥�
He said the movie during World War II that developed the atomic bomb, 鈥渂rought the harsh reality of nuclear doomsday to vivid life for millions around the world.鈥�
鈥淗umanity cannot survive a sequel to Oppenheimer,鈥� the U.N. chief said.
Edith M. Lederer, The Associated Press
