UN committee advances 14 texts on space and conventional weapons

The UN General Assembly’s First Committee has advanced 14 draft resolutions and decisions on outer space and conventional weapons for consideration by the Assembly, with votes exposing sharp divisions over how to prevent an arms race in space and regulate weapons.

The committee approved three draft resolutions and one decision on outer space. A resolution calling for the prevention of an arms race passed by 180 votes to two, with Argentina and Fiji abstaining; the United States and Israel voted against it.

Two other space proposals drew more divided votes. A draft on further practical measures passed 124 to 50, with nine abstentions, while a proposal on “no first placement” of weapons in space passed 123 to 53, with seven abstentions. A decision on transparency and confidence-building measures passed 133 to two, with 46 abstentions.

The proposals now go to the General Assembly. They set out positions and calls for action, but the committee’s approval does not itself make them binding. The vote on “no first placement” follows an earlier debate in which UN delegates differed over whether a binding agreement or voluntary rules would better curb space weapons.

On conventional weapons, the committee approved eight draft resolutions and two decisions. A text on lethal autonomous weapons systems passed 163 to five, with nine abstentions. Belarus, North Korea, Israel, Russia and the United States voted against it.

The United States was the sole country voting against four other resolutions: on illicit small-arms trade, improvised explosive devices, cluster munitions and the Arms Trade Treaty. Russia joined the United States in opposing a draft on the anti-personnel mines convention. Two conventional-weapons texts were approved without a vote, as was one of the two decisions; the other decision, on management of conventional ammunition throughout its life cycle, passed 175 to none, with four abstentions.

The committee is the General Assembly’s main forum for disarmament and international security matters. Its latest package includes proposals on arms control as well as transparency and confidence-building in space, where states remain divided over the best way to prevent weapons competition.