The following is a Draft Resolution that I (Delegate of Greece), authored with a good friend of mine, Aarav Parikh (Delegate of Syria). It is pertaining to measures to International co-operation on the peaceful usage of outer space. It was passed as the resolution of DISEC (GAMA MUN 2021) by majority vote. It was drafted at the innaugural edition of the GAMA MUN organized by Diplomathon Global and had Delegates from Various Countries like India, United Arab Emirites, Bahrain etc. I won HC while Aarav won BD!
1. GAMA MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2021
DISEC/RES/2134 (2021) 18-06872
Committee: Disarmament and International Security Committee
Topic: International co-operation on the peaceful usage of outer space
Authors: Syria, Greece
Co-authors: Saudi Arabia, China
Signatories: USA, China, UK, Australia, Japan, Spain, Greece, Syria, Slovakia, Ghana,
Libya, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Armenia, El Salvador, Canada, Russia, Thailand,
Israel, South Korea
The Disarmament and International Security Committee,
Conscious of the Outer Space Treaty and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty along with both
their advantages and loopholes,
Taking note of the discussions during the 75th
session of the UN General Assembly First
Committee as summarised in its report (A/75/397) on 16 November 2020,
Expressing its appreciation towards the joint session between the UN General Assembly
First Committee and Fourth Committee in October 2017,
Noting with satisfaction the resolutions put forward during the 72nd
session (A/C.1/72/L.3) on
12th
October 2017,
Solemnly Reaffirming paragraph 80 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of
the General Assembly,
1) Acknowledges the growing convergence of views on the elaboration of measures
designed to strengthen transparency, confidence and security in the peaceful uses of
outer space;
2) Emphasises the importance of completely prohibiting the usage, as well as the
development & production of any space-based defence systems and weapons
including but not limited to:
a) Kinetic Bombardment Systems;
b) Nuclear Weapons;
c) Anti-satellite devices of any kind;
d) Hypersonic missile systems;
e) Guided ICBMs passing through space;
2. 3) Urges transparency and confidence building measures to be taken between The
United Nations and non-member states in relation to space activities to eliminate
mistrust. These measures must include but not be limited to the following:
a) Granting non-member states temporary observer status to participate in all
activities related to the peaceful scientific exploration of space;
b) Making it mandatory for all non-member states desirous of acquiring the
status of a temporary observer to share a record of their own previous
launches to space prior to the granting of the status;
c) Encouraging all nations to collaborate on their space based scientific
exploration initiatives such as joint missions to explore and discover
exoplanets and asteroids through advanced technology development and
usage;
4) Calls for the prompt creation of an international convention on international co-
operation on the peaceful usage of outer space that cannot be exploited on the basis
of its loopholes. The drafting committee of the convention must adhere to the
following directive principles during the course of drafting:
a) Implementing a new set of rights for all states party to the aforementioned
convention which will include but not be limited to the following:
i) A right to equal opportunity for all nations in the use of outer space;
ii) A right to the protection of all national assets in orbit;
iii) A right to withdraw support from any mission relevant to space if it
goes against the safety and security of that nation along with a right to
recommend changes to the mission to work around such security
blocks;
b) Adding comprehensive and unambiguous clauses to the said convention to
ensure that no single nation can dominate outer space both in orbit and
outside their orbit;
c) Implementing unambiguous definitions for terms like “defence” and “mass
destruction”;
d) Incorporating clauses relating to space travel and exploration by private
organizations to grant them more freedom but bind them by certain essential
rules including but not limited to the following:
i) Private companies will not be allowed to own any assets that they
discover in space;
ii) Any assets discovered independently by private organizations will not
be owned by any nation but their resources can be used by the private
company;
iii) Private companies will have the opportunity to earn profits from the
discoveries that they make by gaining a preset percentage of the
value of their find in case they are collaborating with the government;
iv) Certain private companies which have been provided with government
contracts could be supported by the governments through joint
research & development;
3. e) Enforcing relevant aspects of the original outer space treaty such as the
liability convention and the registration convention to the new convention to
the end of ensuring continuity and smooth transition to the protocol of the new
convention;
f) Including clauses that designate violations of the rules set by the convention
as criminal offences and induce severe punishments including but not limited
to sanctions, against entities and individuals that are liable for violations;
5) Supports the formation of multiple task forces to ensure the safeguarding of assets in
orbit from malfunctions or any attacks from rogue organizations. These task forces
are as follows:
a) A cybersecurity taskforce to routinely test and maintain the structural integrity
of computer systems on board national satellites (satellites that receive
maintenance will be subject to nations’ will);
b) A legal task force to evaluate whether or not existing space
treaties/conventions are up to date and suggest further amendments to make
for a strong legal system to ensure that nations co-operate on the peaceful
usage of outer space;
c) A subcommittee of delegations from all nations of the General Assembly who
will assess the possibility of an arms race in outer space and work cohesively
with the legal task force to maintain global status quo;
d) A scientific task force to ensure the sustainability of present and future actions
taken towards Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS);
6) Expresses its hope that the member nations of the Disarmament and International
Security Committee work towards cleaning up a large part of the space debris
caused by accidental collisions, previous anti-satellite tests and defunct non-
operational satellites by multiple methods based on the funds available. These
methods include but are not limited to the following:
a) Investing in space EDDE (Electro Dynamic Debris Eliminating) vehicles
carrying space nets to catch space trash;
b) Usage of ground-based laser cannon systems to turn space debris into self-
powered flaming de-orbiting rockets, in case of the availability of such
technologies;
c) Undertaking of mitigation measures to ensure the curbing of intentionally
released space debris, into the Earth's atmosphere and the outer space;
d) Recommissioning of formerly decommissioned nanosatellites for the purpose
of the collection of space debris and other stray pieces of space waste
orbiting the Earth;
e) Developing advance tracking systems to track space debris with sizes lesser
than 10cm wide in order to minimize risk or damage to satellites and manned
stations;
4. f) Setting aside funds for the research and development of the above
technology;
7) Encourages the nations of the United Nations General Assembly to set up a forum
for the discussion of multiple aspects of outer space collaboration including its
economical, scientific and technological aspects so that valuable information can be
shared with developing nations that may not be able to afford large financial
initiatives pertaining to space exploration;
8) Hopes that nations cooperate for the exploration of outer space and research based
on the plethora of resources present there in the form of:
a) Renewing the International Space Station and adding new modules to keep
up with scientific progress:
i) The new modules will be subject to technological advancements in the
future;
b) Exploration of the solar system and planets within it;
c) Searching for earth-like exoplanets;
d) Understanding and implementing asteroid mining;
e) Harnessing solar energy through technologies like space based solar power.
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