stability consistent withtheuseofouterspaceforpeaceful purposes. One ofthemostimportant principles ofinternational law,recognized in Article 51oftheUnitedNations Charter, istherightofnations todefend theirsovereign, territorial integrity andpolitical independence. Likethe highseasandinternational airspace, international lawhasalwaysconsidered spaceavailable forthosenon-aggressive activities thathavebeenprovento promote international stability. Inaddition totheouterSpaceTreaty and thesubsequent treaties addressing theexploration ofouterspace,certain armscontrol treaties haveprovisions specifically applicable tospace activities. Important amongtheseistheAnti-Ballistic Missile Treatyof 1972. Thehistory ofthisagreement demonstrates thevalueofpermitting Stateswithparamount interests incertain areasofthearmscontrol process toresolve theirfundamental differences bymeansofsuchbilateral arrangements. Thedelegation emphasized thatitwasofthefirmbeliefthat anyperceived gapsinthelegalregime canbesatisfied byparticular attention totheprinciples nowinexistence. Itunderlined itsdeep commitment totheuseofouterspaceforpeaceful purposes andforthose defensive aspects ofthesecurity ofthatStatethatrequire amilitary presence inspace.ItstatedthatitsStateintended topursuewith deliberate speeditsobjectives inaccordance withinternational law. 27.Somedelegations expressed serious concern thatonespacePowerwent aheadwithitsstrategic defence programme byhaving conducted orplanning a number ofexperiments whichwouldleadtogrowing mistrust andmightintensify thearmsrace. 28.Various delegations believed thatthepresent legalregimegoverning outerspacewasnolongeradequate toguarantee theprevention ofanarmsrace occurring inouterspace.ItwasnotedthatGeneral Assembly resolution 44/112recognized theurgency ofpreventing anarmsraceinouter spaceandrequested theConference onDisarmament toundertake negotiations fortheconclusion ofbinding agreement oragreements, asappropriate. While recognizing thesignificant roleplayed bythatregime andtheneedto consolidate andstrengthen itanditseffectiveness, several delegations calledforthetotalprohibition ofthedevelopment, production, stationing, stock-piling anduseofspaceweapons andthedestruction ortransformation of existing weapons. CD/1034 page13 C.Existing proposals andfutureinitiatives ontheprevention ofanarms raceinouterspace 29.Somedelegations, stressing theurgency offorestalling theintroduction ofweapons inspace,discussed comprehensive proposals fortheprevention of anarmsraceinouterspace,suchasthosecalling foratreatyprohibiting theuseofforceinouterspaceorfromspaceagainst Earth,atreaty prohibiting thestationing ofweapons ofanykindinouterspaceand amendments tothe1967OuterSpaceTreaty. 30.Onedelegation reiterated itsproposal (contained inCD/939) toamend Article IVoftheouterSpaceTreaty soastomakeitsprohibition applicable toanykindofweapons andtocontemplate thenegotiation ofanAdditional Protocol forthepurpose ofprohibiting thedevelopment, production, storage anddeployment ofanti-satellite-weapons systems whicharenotstationed in outerspace. According tothatproposal thoseamendments totheTreaty would becomplemented byasecondadditional protocol todealwiththeverification systemtoensurefaithful compliance withtheobligations assumed bythe StatesParties whichmaybeamixedsystembasedprincipally ona multinational orinternational approach andonanational approach in accordance withthemeansofverification available toeachStateParty. The samedelegations stressed theneedforstrengthening theconfidence-building measures aswellasthelegalregimetoprevent thearmsraceinouterspace. 31.Onedelegation expressed theviewthatthegeneral objective should aim atestablishing onelegalregimeforouterspaceaswellastheMoonandother celestial bodies. Itmaintained thatthiscouldonlyberealized through a clear-cut provision declaring thatouterspaceshallbeusedexclusively for peaceful purposes. 32.Onedelegation madeareference toitsproposal contained indocument CD/851seeking toamendArticle IVoftheouterSpaceTreaty. Thatdelegation stressed thatthatproposal has,asitspointofdeparture, therecognition, largely sharedbyavastsectortheConference andreflected inprevious reports oftheAdHocCommittee thattheOuterSpaceTreatyhasanimportant juridical vacuum andisinadequate toprevent anarmsraceinouterspace becauseitdoesnotprohibit thestationing inspaceofweapons otherthan
**Analysis**
The text discusses the legal framework and the need for international agreements to prevent an arms race in outer space. It highlights the importance of maintaining the peaceful use of outer space and the need for confidence-building measures and strengthening the legal regime to prevent the arms race. The text also touches on the need for a comprehensive treaty prohibiting the use of force in outer space and the stationing of weapons in outer space.

**Category**
Science and technology, International relations