spacethrough serious negotiations; allspacecapable statesintheir activities inouterspaceshouldnottakeanyactioncontrary totheexisting relevant conventions andthecommongoalofpreventing anarmsraceinouter space. Instead theyshouldadopttimelyandeffective measures forthe realization ofthiscommongoal. Asthesolemultilateral forumof disarmament negotiations, theConference onDisarmament shouldstartassoon aspossible negotiations onaninternational convention onthecomplete prohibition ofspaceweapons andoftheuseofforceorhostileactivities bothtoandfromouterspace. International co-operation shouldbevigorously carried outforthepeaceful utilization ofouterspace,sothatmankind can genuinely benefit fromthiscommonheritage. Spacecapable Statesshouldmake positive contribution tothisend. 37.Onedelegation statedthatitsGovernment hasconcluded thatbecause of themanyproblems associated withASATarmscontrols, abanprohibiting testing anddeployment ofallspecialized ASATsystems wouldnotbeinthe CD/1034 page16 national security interest ofthatstate. Someofitsconcerns associated withASATsystems include verification, definition, break-out potential and disclosure ofinformation. Theseproblems wouldbecome evenmoreintractable withabanonASATcapabilities, whichwouldrequire theinclusion ofsystems thatarenotspecialized ASATsystems butthathaveinherent ASAT capabilities, theseinclude manoeuvring spacecraft, somedirect-ascent ABM interceptors, ICBMsandSLBMs. 38.Anexpert fromonedelegation gaveapresentation onthepresent and futureuseofcommercial spacebasedremotesensingsatellite imagery forarms control verification purposes. Thatpresentation concluded that:future satellite verification systems couldbeoperated byaparticular stateor, alternatively byamultilateral verification regime; present commercial satellite imagery mustbesupplemented byothersources; and,dataacquired byafutureverification systemcouldbeusedforotherimportant taskssuch asenvironmental monitoring. 39.Thissamedelegation presented another expertcontribution, thisoneon verification andouterspace. Thispresentation concluded that:thelarge scaleexpansion ofhumanactivity inspaceinthecomingyearscouldleadto activities whichappear ambiguous withrespect tospaceweapondevelopment; thereisaconceptual approach todefining spacecraft asrelatively benignor harmful; and,verification oftherelative harmfulness ofaspaceobject can bemademoreeffective bysupplementing existing treatyrestrictions with confidence-building measures. 40.Onedelegation pointed outthatconfidence-building measures, increased transparency, "rulesoftheroad",etc.,thatcouldbeofinterest fora reinforced regimepertaining tospaceactivities, shouldbebased,interalia, onmultilateral Observation andverification arrangements. Itwouldappear thattechniques forobservation andverification ofconfidence-building regimes andmeasures toprevent anarmsraceinouterspacecouldbesimilar oridentical. Thedelegation reiterated inthiscontextitsproposals toban so-called dedicated anti-satellite weapons aswellasthetesting ofother weapons devices inanASATmode. Thedelegation sharedtheopinion expressed onthenecessity tostrengthen theexisting "declaratory" regimepertaining to spaceactivities through, e.g.,areinforcement oftheRegistration Convention. Butthiswasnotenough. Cross-references tovoluntary data exchange werecalledfor.Thesamedelegation introduced anindependant expert, whomadeapresentation onmethods insupport ofanenhancement of CO/1034 page17 security inspace. Theexpertinthiscontext presented various interesting technologies suchas,interalia,microwave radarimaging, whichwouldmakeit possible toobtain imagesofsatellites fromagroundstation witha resolution intheorderofcentimetres. Several othertechniques were referred to,suchassatellite-borne sensors; on-site inspections; infra-red devices; andthetagging ofsatellites, etc.Aninternational tracking centrecouldbeestablished andatitsdisposal haveatracking centre, as wellasaworld-wide network ofobservation stations. Thedelegation looked forward tocontinued deliberations onverifications techniques. TheAdHoc Committee lastyearandduringthe1990session hadadvanced itsworkonthese
**Analysis**
The text appears to focus on the regulation and prevention of arms races in outer space, discussing the use of weapons, verification techniques, and international cooperation to ensure the peaceful utilization of space. The language used is technical and diplomatic, suggesting that the topic is of significant international importance.

**Category**
Science and technology, International trade