Outer space legal questions discussed by Sub-Committee.

Outer space legal questions discussed by Sub-Committee

Legal questions concerning remote sensing, nuclear power sources, defining outer space, and use of the geostationary orbit were considered by the Legal Sub-Committee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space at a three-week session (18 March-4 April).

Sub-Committee Chairman Ludek Handl (Czechoslovakia) said the session had been "extraordinary and constructive". The Sub-Committee had collectively, with a spirit of accommodation, moved forward on matters that were of great importance to all delegations. A foundation had been laid for future progress, he said, and the session would be remembered as one in which the stalemate that had clouded past sessions of the Sub-Committee had been broken.

Miguel Marin-Bosch (Mexico), at the concluding meeting, said that the results achieved in the Sub-Committee on remote sensing and nuclear power sources had been modest, compared to the intense efforts made. No progress had been made with regard to definition and delimitation of outer space or on the geostationary orbit, due to the lack of interest on the part of the main space Powers. It was dangerous that some delegations were permitted to arrogate to themselves a virtual veto.

He reserved the right to return to the rules established by the General Assembly, if the present format of work in the Sub-Committee--working by consensus--continued to favour the extreme, rather than the will of the majority.

During the session, the Sub-Committee re-established its Working Groups aimed at: formulating draft principles with regard to the legal implications of remote sensing of the earth from space; supplementing the norms of international law relevant to the use of nuclear power sources; and definition and delimitation of outer space and character and use of the geostationary orbit.

Remote sensing

The Working Group on remote sensing this year continued work on draft principles on remote sensing, using, among other things, texts submitted by France, Brazil, Chile and Kenya, which it deemed to be of special relevance.

By the end of its deliberations this year, its chairman was able to present a working document containing a set of remote sensing principles which, according to the Working Group, could provide a basis for an agreement by consensus in the near future.

Nuclear power sources: The Working Group on nuclear power sources considered questions of assistance to States and notification prior to...