BGA/3/14
Sponsored by Natalie Petroni, Claire Claverie of St. Cecilia Academy
The delegates above represented the Delegation of India.
This legislation was filed in the Disarmament and International Security category
Presented as part of the MUN B 2023 conference
| 1 | Recalling the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, which include the |
| 2 | maintenance of international peace and security, |
| 3 | |
| 4 | Reaffirming the United Nation’s commitment to the peaceful use and exploration of outer space for |
| 5 | the benefit of all humanity, |
| 6 | |
| 7 | Recognizing the importance of the Outer Space Treaty, which was adopted on January 27, 1967, in |
| 8 | preventing the placement of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in outer |
| 9 | space (Article IV), as well as the harmful contamination of celestial bodies (Article IX), |
| 10 | |
| 11 | Keeping in mind the Outer Space Treaty declares outer space, including the Moon and other |
| 12 | celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use |
| 13 | or occupation, or by any other means, (Article II) |
| 14 | |
| 15 | Acknowledging that developments in technology and space activities have created new challenges |
| 16 | and opportunities in the field of outer space, which require review and amendments of the Outer |
| 17 | Space Treaty, |
| 18 | |
| 19 | Taking into consideration the principles of non-armament, non-interference, and non-appropriation |
| 20 | of outer space outlined in the Outer Space Treaty, |
| 21 | |
| 22 | Having examined the challenges posed by the growing use and exploration of outer space, |
| 23 | including the potential for conflict and the need to prevent the weaponization and militarization of |
| 24 | outer space, |
| 25 | |
| 26 | Emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in addressing the challenges and |
| 27 | opportunities posed by outer space activities, |
| 28 | |
| 29 | Bearing in mind the need to strengthen the legal framework governing outer space activities to |
| 30 | ensure international peace and security, |
| 31 | |
| 32 | Aware that the Outer Space Treaty Article XV states that “Any State Party to the Treaty may |
| 33 | propose amendments to this Treaty. Amendments shall enter into force for each State Party to the |
| 34 | Treaty accepting the amendments upon their acceptance by a majority of the States Parties to the |
| 35 | Treaty and thereafter for each remaining State Party to the Treaty on the date of acceptance by |
| 36 | |
| 37 | The delegation of India 2 hereby: |
| 38 | 1. Emphasizes the need to amend the Outer Space Treaty to include a working definition of |
| 39 | "peaceful purposes" in relation to outer space activities, which shall now be defined as “non- |
| 40 | military and non-aggressive activities that do not involve the use of force against the territorial |
| 41 | integrity or political independence of any state and are not in any other manner inconsistent with |
| 42 | the purposes of the United Nations” in all areas of the treaty in which the phrase is used; |
| 43 | 2. Declares the need to replace the phrase “the moon and other celestial bodies” with the phrase |
| 44 | “the moon, other celestial bodies, and all spaces in between, including interplanetary and |
| 45 | interstellar space" in all areas of the treaty in which the phrase is used; |
| 46 | 3. Seeks to amend Article IV Paragraph 1 of the Outer Space Treaty as follows: “States Parties to |
| 47 | the treaty undertake not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons, |
| 48 | weapons of mass destruction, or any conventional weapons, install such weapons on celestial |
| 49 | bodies, or station such weapons in outer space in any other manner”; |
| 50 | 4. Further requests that Article IV, Paragraph 2 shall be revised to read as follows: “The Moon and |
| 51 | other celestial bodies shall be used by all States Parties to the Treaty exclusively for peaceful |
| 52 | purposes. The establishment of military bases, installations and fortifications, the testing or use of |
| 53 | any type of weapons including nuclear weapons and conventional weapons and the conduct of |
| 54 | military maneuvers on celestial bodies shall be forbidden. The use of military personnel for |
| 55 | scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes shall not be prohibited. The use of any |
| 56 | equipment or facility necessary for peaceful exploration of the moon and other celestial bodies |
| 57 | shall also not be prohibited.”; |
| 58 | 5. Encourages all states party to the original treaty, and states who are not, to ratify the amended |
| 59 | Outer Space Treaty in order to secure international peace and security. |
| 60 | |
| 61 |