(Mr. Elaraby, Egypt) commensurate with the well-deserved importance accorded to the item. Instead, we have witnessed throughout the last few years deliberate attempts to weaken the work of the Ad hoe Committee and prevent it from attaining any form of progress, meaningful or otherwise. Annually, the Ad hoe Committee on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space becomes the last subsidiary body to be established by the Conference on Disarmament. Such an imbalance must be avoided, and the Ad hoe Committee should be established early in the session in order to allow a structured and candid discussion on all related matters. Outer space is the common heritage of mankind and carries hope for future generations. Substantive and serious work must be allowed to take place in the Ad hoe Committee. General Assembly resolution 44/112 requested the Conference on Disarmament, in paragraph 7, to intensify its consideration of the question of the prevention of an arms race in outer space in all its aspects, taking into account relevant proposals and initiatives, including those presented in the Ad hoe Committee at the 1989 session of the Conference and at the forty-fourth session of the General Assembly. It is an established fact that United Nations activities are anchored on the concept of the exploration of outer space for the benefit and in the interest of all States. In other words the concept of declaring outer space as the common heritage of mankind, and not subject to national appropriation, has been universally accepted since 1967. It is also conventional wisdom that the common interest of all mankind requires that the progress in the exploration and use of outer space be confined to peaceful purposes. The 1967 outer space Treaty, which is universally considered as the 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the prevention of an arms race in outer space, the importance of the Ad hoc Committee on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space, and the need for a structured and candid discussion on the related matters. It also refers to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and the concept of outer space as the common heritage of mankind. Based on this, it seems that the text is related to international relations, diplomacy, and disarmament, which are often linked to the field of science and technology.

**Category**
Science and technology