Outer Space: Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Legal Subcommittee, 64th session, 1079th meeting

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, distinguished delegates. I now declare open the 1079th meeting of the Legal Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Distinguished delegates, this afternoon we will continue our consideration of Agenda Item 3, General Exchange of Views. We will continue and hopefully suspend our consideration of Agenda Item 7, Future role and methods of the work of the committee, pending the outcome of consultations on matters such as Unispace 4, ATLAS, and organizational matters led by the delegation of India. We will begin our consideration of agenda item 8, general exchange of views on potential legal models. for activities in the exploration, exploitation, and utilization of space resources. We will then adjourn the plenary meeting so that the Working Group on the Status and Application of the 5 United Nations Treaties on Outer Space can hold its 2nd meeting.

Thank you.

There will be no technical presentations this afternoon, and as delegations are aware, the schedule of technical presentations is available on the session's webpage and in the Daily Journal. Are there any questions or comments on this proposed schedule?

No.

I see none. So we shall now take up the first of our items for this afternoon, and that is item 3, General Exchange of Views. Distinguished delegates, I now turn to the list of speakers, and the first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the Dominican Republic. You have the floor.

Thank you very much, Chair, and good afternoon, everyone. The government of the Dominican Republic aligns itself with the statement of the G77 and China, and our delegation wishes to make the following comments in its national capacity. We commend you, Chair, upon your election to the Legal Subcommittee and equally extend our support for your actions and wish you the best of success in your undertakings. We equally thank the Director of the Office of Outer Space Affairs, Ms. Arti Holomaini, and the Secretariat for the preparation for this meeting. My delegation restates its staunch view that the use and exploration of outer space must be exclusively peaceful in the benefit and interest of all states, regardless of their degree of economic or scientific development, and in full compliance with international law. We equally restate strict compliance with the principles governing activities of states in the exploration and utilization of outer space, including those set forth in the Outer Space Treaty and in General Assembly resolutions in this regard of 1962 and 1984. Furthermore, we note that the principle of non-appropriation establishes that outer space, including the Moon, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, use, or occupation, or any other means. The fundamental principles in the relevant treaties of the United Nations and the peaceful uses of outer space must guide our debates regarding long-term sustainability of space activities as well as the utilization of space resources. The established principle of non-appropriation of outer space must be upheld and respected. Chair, the Dominican Republic is party to the following United Nations treaties on outer space: the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Utilization of Outer Space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, the Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons Tests in Atmosphere, Outer Space, and Underwater, and the Agreement on the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, and the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects. We are equally signatory to the Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, Return of Astronauts, and Return of Objects As regards these instruments, our government supports the further strengthening of mechanisms to further promote adherence to these instruments, in particular by capacity building among developing countries, and call upon those states with greater technical capacity to continue providing assistance for the effective implementation of these instruments. It is equally a matter of priority to make further progress in the definition and delimitation of outer space, space, as well as in guaranteeing the rational and equitable use of the geostationary orbit. Turning to space debris management, our government underscores the urgent need to adopt legally binding mechanisms to mitigate this problem, which threatens the sustainability of space activities. International cooperation is key to develop equitable standards. We equally prize the work undertaken by the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultation, ATLAC, which must include the perspectives of developing countries. Future lunar exploration must be governed by the principles of transparency and cooperation. Turning to Unispace 4, our government restates its support for the convening of Unispace 4 in 2027 as an opportunity to strengthen multilateralism on space. We equally call for the equitable participation of all regions, including small island developing states. Chair, our delegation highlights the need for this subcommittee to maintain its central role in the development of international space law by holding inclusive results-based debates. We underscore the value of the resources assigned to training programs in space law, in particular through UNOSA, in order to help reduce the technological divide and to promote effective participation of more countries, including the least developed. We shall continue to participate actively in the work of the Legal Subcommittee and will contribute meeting a consensus to further strengthen the space legal framework for the benefit of present and future generations. Thank you, Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Dominican Republic for her statement. Following speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Syria.

Muchas gracias, señor presidente.

Thank you very much.

Para que estos trabajos se coronen con éxito, señor presidente. Agradecemos también a la señora Arte Olamaine la directora de la oficina por la presentación que nos ha ofrecido al inicio de esta sesión. Insistimos en que estaremos detrás de este trabajo excelente.

Perdón, perdón.

If you could just wait a moment, sir. Just a moment, please. There is a technical problem.

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Chair. The delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic. Supports the statement delivered on behalf of the G77 and China.

Just one moment, sir. Resolver algunos problemas. In order to tackle a number of difficulties, interpretation difficulties we're having. I will give you the floor immediately once the problem has been resolved. Thank you very much. Apologies. And now I would like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Syrian Arab Republic. Please proceed.

Thank you once again, Chair. Chair, the delegation of my country, the Syrian Arab Republic, supports the statement delivered by Morocco on behalf of the G77 and China and would like to make the following national comments. Firstly, the exploration and use of outer space must be exclusively for peaceful purposes. We underscore in this context the right of all countries to explore outer space independently and regardless of their level of scientific, technical, or economic development, and equally to ensure the rational and equitable use and non-appropriation of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, pursuant to Article 2 of the Treaty on the Principles of Non-Appropriation. Secondly, it is essential to further strengthen the current legal framework so as to ensure that outer space remains the common province of humankind And that we have a multilateral approach under the auspices of the United Nations in order to further strengthen any future legal framework guaranteeing equitable distribution and fair distribution of the benefits pursuant to Article 1. Of the treaty. Thirdly, we underscore the need to enhance international cooperation to further strengthen space activities, paying close attention in particular to the needs of developing countries and in particular those emerging from conflicts, including my own country, in order to ensure a transfer of knowledge and technology and to help build capacity In addition to developing necessary space applications that are decisive and pivotal when it comes to rebuilding post-disasters and managing natural resources so that we'd be able to implement initiatives, in particular, Space for Development Initiative. Uh, the Sustainable Space for Development Initiative and the Agenda 2030. As well as the principle of leave no one behind. Fourthly, the rise in space debris poses a danger to all of humankind, and therefore this requires strengthened international cooperation in order to minimize and mitigate space debris, recalling that this is a matter that requires strengthened cooperation, so as to ensure that it does not prevent the participation of developing countries when it comes to exploring and using outer space. Fifthly, we highlight the need to prevent an arms race in outer space and equally to prevent the deployment of any form of weaponry or any form of activity that runs counter to this objective. Accordingly, measures must be adopted to strengthen transparency and confidence in order to tackle the unpredictable dangers. Sixth, here my country highlights the need to refrain from adopting any form of unilateral coercive measures that run counter to the provisions of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, rather to further build trust and confidence in the sphere of the utilization and exploration of outer space. Always in the absence of such measures, Chair, these are The Dominican Republic underscores the commitment set forth for the peaceful uses and exploration of outer space and lends its support to transparency and confidence-building measures in international cooperation. And we shall work with you and with all other delegations in order to ensure a successful outcome to this meeting of the Legal Subcommittee. Thank you, Chair.

Muchas gracias.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Syrian Arab Republic. The following speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom.

Thank you, Chair. Distinguished delegates, before the United Kingdom makes its general statement, let me first clearly state that space science and exploration missions and commercial activities rely on cooperation and collaboration between states. Russia's violation of Ukrainian sovereignty in its ongoing war against Ukraine has had a significant impact on this essential cooperation between spacefaring nations and is damaging international cooperation on the peaceful uses of outer space. The UK supports all efforts to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, and we call on Russia to cease its senseless attacks on civilians and agree an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire. Now let me move on to our general statement. The UK is pleased to share with you our progress and developments since the last meeting. In May 2024, the UK published the Space Regulatory Review, setting out strategic priorities to further enhance the UK's innovative, agile, and attractive regulatory environment. The UK is now implementing a comprehensive package of regulatory reforms in partnership with the sector based on its recommendations. Our work is focused on identifying gaps and opportunities in the space regulatory framework to better enable innovative markets in support of the government's priority outcomes of growth and security. security. I'm pleased to set out some highlights. The UK has established the Regulatory Innovation Office to streamline regulation, reduce bureaucratic procedures, and accelerate the emergence of new technologies in the UK market. The space sector has been selected as one of the initial priority areas. The UK has committed to developing innovative approaches to regulatory development. including the use of sandboxes. The Rendezvous and Proximity Operations, RPO, regulatory sandbox brought together government, industry, and the independent regulator to develop a hypothetical debris removal and servicing mission concept to improve the regulatory environment in the UK for future debris removal and in-orbit servicing missions. The The UK has continued to support important awareness-raising and capacity-building for space law and guidelines by funding 2 UK/ANUSA projects on the long-term sustainability guidelines and the registration of space objects. With regards to the registration project, we would like to highlight that the 2nd National Focal Points meeting for the registration is taking place next week on the 12th and 13th of May. We would like to thank ANUSA for organizing this session and look forward to building on the productive discussion from the last focal points meeting. Chair, the UK is committed to promoting good regulatory practice for lunar operations. We are supportive of the ongoing ATLAC process as an important step to ensuring there is a forum to discuss important lunar issues such as lunar disposal, heritage sites, and lunar science preservation. The UK has been actively preparing for our anticipated first lunar license application this year with SSTL's Lunar Pathfinder Communications and Navigation Relay. As part of these efforts, we have commissioned studies to better understand safe and responsible practices for lunar disposal, and we are pleased to summarize these efforts as part of a technical presentation later this week. The UK views planetary protection as an important principle for space exploration, and we will shortly be publishing a technical framework on planetary protection to give UK operators clarity on how to implement the UK's protection— planetary protection obligations. The UK is also proud to be part of the Artemis Accords, where discussions will continue on how to develop peaceful safe, and sustainable lunar practices. Chair, the UK continues to support the development of new industry-led space sustainability standards which seek to incentivize good practice across the lifecycle of space activities in order to protect future access to space. The first 2 standards have been published by the British Standards Institution for public consultation, and we encourage all members and observers serves to engage in this process. Space cooperation and collaboration relies on states complying with existing global legal frameworks, including the OST. Those who have not yet done so should ratify or accede to the OST as soon as possible. Those who are already party to it should clearly and unambiguously conform to their obligations under it, such as that contained Article 4 not to place any objects carrying nuclear weapons in Earth's orbit. The UK looks forward to contributing to the meetings of the Working Group on Space Resources. We would like to thank Vice Chair Professor Stephen Freeland for his hard work and continued stewardship of the committee, especially with regards to the recent circulation of the zero draft of the initial draft set of recommended principles for space resources. resource activities. The UK views the zero draft as a great contribution to the work of the committee, and we look forward to discussions with delegations over this LSE. We also look forward to discussions under the Working Group on the 5 Treaties. The UK sees particular value in discussions relating to Article 11, and we would like to thank the chair, Francisca Knurr, for her continued leadership of the Working group. Finally, Chair, we would like to extend our thanks for your leadership of this committee and the Secretariat for their hard work, including the organization of this meeting. Thank you, Chair, distinguished delegates.

I thank the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom for her statement. We shall suspend our consideration of agenda item 3 and we'll continue it tomorrow morning. We shall now take up our consideration of agenda item 7, future role and method of the committee— method of work of the committee. Distinguished delegates, I would like to give the floor to the first speaker on my list. Distinguished representative of the Russian Federation.

Thank you, Chairperson. Distinguished delegates, current space industry development trends, including the emergence of new technologies, inter-area satellite megaconstellation-based technologies, and also the high degree of commercialization of space activity place new and urgent challenges before the international community. These require the crafting of harmonized solutions at the international level. Against this backdrop, there's a steady— steadily increasing need to enhance the role and significance of COPOS. The Russian Federation consistently advocates for preserving COPOS as a tried and tested universal mechanism for coordination and cooperation in key areas of space activity, including legal governance. The committee must, in our view, focus its attention on systematically addressing the full spectrum of issues around the long-term sustainability of space activity, including such intertwined aspects thereof as space debris prevention and mitigation, space traffic management, crafting balanced solutions to matters involving small satellites, and preventing and resolution of conflict situations arising in the course of space activities. Also becoming topical and significant are issues related to developing legal governance models for activities involving the exploration, development, and use of space resources. In terms of enhancing the effectiveness of our work, there continues to be a need for broader coordination and cooperation between the 2 subcommittees, the STSC and the Legal Subcommittee, particularly when addressing cross-cutting issues. Consensus continues to be crucial to the work of COPRIOS. Consensus excludes confrontational approaches and enables the universal acceptability of any decisions made by the committee. Another issue worthy of attention is the intergovernmental character of COPROs. We call for it to be strengthened since it is states that are accountable for observance of international obligations contained in the space treaties. It states, as per the provisions of the treaties, that must strictly supervise the private and other structures engaged in space activities under their jurisdiction.

Jurisdiction.

We harbor grave concerns at the attempts by some countries and permanent observers to politicize the work of the committee by departing from the agenda adopted by consensus. Obviously, this is destructive to our work and undermines the authority of the committee. We count to a great degree on the chair to rectify this situation. Chairperson, you have all of the necessary prerogatives and abilities to keep our discussions on the right track. We're also concerned at the attempts to undermine the lead role of the committee by transferring discussions of relevant issues to other platforms. Such attempts weaken the role of the committee and prevent the formation of standardized approaches to space activity governance by the committee. We listened with alarm to the briefing on the financial difficulties faced by UNOOSA in connection with the liquidity crisis and its possible consequences for the committee. Decisions on savings must be made on the basis of prior discussions held with the member states of COPROS. That's our view. It's only those, the states, that are entitled to determine the duration of sessions, and the Secretariat must provide adequate conference services in all UN languages. This understanding is enshrined in a range of UN documents, including GA Resolution 79/248. We are grateful to you, Anousha, for the proposed solutions. To address the situation as contained in the circular dated the 2nd of May this year. We are giving them close consideration. For us, it's important that the duration of sessions should be maintained in accordance with longstanding practice and that interpretation should be maintained into all UN official languages. By way of conclusion, we reiterate again our firm attachment to improving the effectiveness of the committee. We stand ready as ever to contribute constructively to the committee's development as a key international forum for deliberations on the peaceful use of space. Thank you.

Muchas gracias. Thank you very much, distinguished representative of the Russian Federation. The following speaker is the distinguished representative of Ukraine.

Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, as we consider the future role and working methods for the committee, the delegation of Ukraine would like to share the following reflections. International space law, developed primarily in the second half of the 20th century, was designed to promote peaceful uses of outer space, facilitate international cooperation, and prevent conflicts. Since its establishment in 1959, COPUS has played a pivotal role in shaping this legal framework. However, today's rapidly evolving space environment, marked by commercialization, militarization, the entry of new non-conventional actors, and technological breakthroughs, including artificial intellect, calls for a reassessment of both the governance structure and legal foundations of global space activities. Private companies, universities, NGOs, and international consortia are increasingly active in both full-fledged research and space exploration and utilization. This new reality creates potential legal tensions, particularly regarding the balance between Article 6 of the Outer Space Treaty, which places responsibility on states for national activities in space, and the growing autonomy of non-space actors— non-state actors. These developments underscore the urgency of strengthening universal legal frameworks that reflect the interests of the entire international community. Ukraine welcomes the work of the Legal Subcommittee and the establishment of the Working Group on the legal aspects of space resource activities. Its comprehensive review of the current legal landscape, national legislation, and state practices is a necessary step forward. However, beyond addressing emerging issues piecemeal, we believe it is time to begin discussions on updating the broader treaty framework itself. In this context, the ethical dimensions of space activities must become an integral part of our legal and political deliberations. Ethical considerations ranging from planetary protection and biological contamination to the preservation of human heritage have not been sufficiently addressed in existing space law. As highlighted by several delegations, including Belgium, during the 62nd session of the Legal Subcommittee, there is a clear need to formally integrate ethical principles into the future legal discourse. Ukraine supports the idea of incorporating ethical perspectives not only in the context of space resource utilization, but across all space-related activities. This could be done through the creation of an ad hoc group or a via structured conferences— conference processes. In the longer term, we envision the development of a universal declaration on space ethics modeled after UNESCO's Declaration on Bioethics to establish shared principles for responsible, sustainable, and inclusive space exploration. For Ukraine, this is not an abstract issue, as country currently defending its sovereignty, values, and people from unprovoked aggression, we are deeply committed to upholding these principles— the principles of international law, justice, and human dignity, even in the face of existential threat. We believe that outer space must be preserved as a domain of cooperation, not conflict, of shared stewardship, not strategic rivalry. This evolving reality demands robust, inclusive, and forward-looking mechanism capable of ensuring joint development of both international space law and ethics. In light of growing complexity and expanding participation in space activities, it is worth asking whether our current institutions— institutional setup is sufficient to ensure long-term coordination and regulation. Ukraine believes that COPUS remains uniquely placed to serve as the central platform for the development and harmonization of international space law and ethics. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Ukraine for his statement. The following speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and distinguished delegates. I would like to begin by expressing the sincere appreciation of the Republic of Korea to UNUSA and to co-chairs for their unwavering efforts in guiding the ATLAS discussions, and also would like to thank Dr. Dorian Prenario for his leadership towards establishing the action team. The Republic of Korea strongly supported the establishment of ATLAG at the 2024 COPUSS plenary session and joined as a co-sponsor of the proposal led by Romania. Given the rapid growth in global lunar exploration activities, we believe that initiating discussions within the COPUSS framework to establish a strengthened consultation mechanism for safe, sustainable, and transparent lunar activities is both timely and of great importance. In this regard, we hope to see substantial progress during this session towards reaching a consensus on the ATLAS work plan, with the aim of formally adopting it at the 68th session of COPUSS. As a country actively engaged in lunar exploration, the Republic of Korea has experienced firsthand the crucial role of international coordination and consultation in ensuring the safety and sustainability of lunar activities. As highlighted in our technical presentation at last year's COPIS plenary session, Korea's lunar orbiter Danuri, the KPLO, successfully conducted 4 collision avoidance maneuvers during its lunar orbit operation over the past 2 years. These maneuvers were made possible through the continuous sharing of orbital data and close collaboration with other lunar operators. Through this operational experience, the Republic of Korea has come to recognize the critical importance of establishing communication channels and information-sharing mechanisms at the operational level, but they are vital to effective consultation and coordination for lunar activities. We hope that such issues will be included as priority topics in the ATAC discussions. To make meaningful contribution to the ATAC discussions, the Republic of Korea has nominated 4 representatives whose names have been officially submitted to the UN Secretariat. We stand by— we stand ready to contribute constructively to ATLAS' work and trust that our experience, lessons learned, and perspectives will provide valuable insights into this important effort. Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you very much, distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea. The following speaker is the distinguished representative of China.

Chair, China aligns ourselves with the statement made by the representative of Kenya on behalf of Group of 77 and China. With rapid development of space technology and increasing diversification activities in outer space, the international community faces new opportunities and challenges in cooperation governance. In this context, China supports the Quad Plus and its legal subcommittee in continuing to play a central role in improving the legal framework for outer space, fostering a fairer and more inclusive system of global space governance, and leading the shared endeavor of humanity in the peaceful uses of outer space. With regard to the future role and working methods of the COPUOS, China would like to share the following views. First, The core status of the COPUOS should be firmly maintained. China has always believed that the COPUOS and its subcommittee are the primary platform for formulating rules and coordinating international cooperation in outer space. Non-governmental processes can complement the COPUOS but should not interfere with its normal operations. Secondly, we must keep pace with the developments. And actively respond to new issues in outer space, such as the rapid deployment of large low-Earth orbit satellite constellations. Thirdly, international cooperation and capacity building should be deepened. The COPUOS has achieved remarkable results in promoting scientific, technological, and legal capacity building in outer space. China supports that the UN-affiliated Regional Centers for Space Science and Technology Education should play a pivotal role by strengthening collaboration among themselves and fully considering the needs of emerging spacefaring and developing countries. Fourthly, the working mechanisms of the COPU should be optimized. The synergy between the Legal Subcommittee and the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee should be enhanced. At the same time, China supports streamlining the agenda of the Legal Subcommittee and optimizing the agenda setting to improve work efficiency. Chair, the establishment of the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultation is a good example of the COPUS actively responding to new challenges. China is pleased to see the Action Team steadily advancing its work, thanks to the co-chairs of Pakistan and Romania for their fruitful work, and hopes that the work plan of the Action Plan will be adopted on schedule so as to begin the next phase of the team's work. Against the backdrop of the urgent need to improve global governance of outer space, China supports the organization of Unispace 4 with a view to promoting international cooperation and advancing space science and technology for the benefit of all countries, especially in developing countries. China would like to thank the Secretariat for the report prepared prior to the conference, which provides a detailed overview of the main outcomes of the 3 previous Unispace conferences and put forward preliminary ideas on the organization of the UNISPACE 4, laying a good foundation for the follow-up discussions. China supports the continued organization of UNISPACE 4 in Vienna so as to reflect Vienna's position as the main platform for governance of outer space. China is ready to hold further consultations with all parties on the relevant issues. Finally, China would like to take this opportunity to thank the UNOOSA once again for his great efforts to ensure the work of the Corpus and its 2 subcommittees, and is ready to continue with all parties to further strengthen the role of the Corpus. Thank you, Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of China for their statement. The following speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Germany.

Thank you, Chair. Honorable Chair, distinguished delegates, COPUOS and its subcommittees and UNOOSA are pivotal to international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. Germany supports measures to strengthen the political support of the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General for this important work. Our delegation continues to support UNOSA's core programs, including UN-SPIDER, and provides additional human resources through a new JPO for the SPIDER office in Bonn. These programs are important to make the benefits of space activities accessible to everyone, and we're grateful for UNOSA's work despite limited resources. Under this agenda item, we would like to make the following points. First, we continue to see value in the regular reporting format, as it provides opportunity to reflect the different perspectives of member states on the evolution of space law, which have been expressed in former sessions prior to the report adoption. Under exceptional circumstances, We should focus on the outcomes and actions of our deliberations. Additionally, we encourage all delegations to submit statements for publication on the UNOSA website as a means of sharing information with the international community. Secondly, Germany continues to believe that increased coordination, interaction, and synergy between between the subcommittees on cross-cutting issues such as sustainable lunar activities and space traffic further enhance the work of the committee and enable COPUSS to base its final deliberations on the work and expertise of its 2 subcommittees. In this regard, we particularly commend the ATLAQ co-chairs, Ms. Buttesato and Mr. Abbas, for organizing cross-committee meetings and coordinating with the working group chairs of both subcommittees, and Professor Freeland for briefing the STSC on the work of the Space Resources Working Group. Thirdly, we are grateful for the insightful contributions of experts, including observer organizations, on the latest developments closely related to specific agenda items for further consideration by member states in the various working formats, such as working groups, action teams, study groups, technical presentations, and side events. We therefore support in principle the retention of technical presentations in our meeting structure, but suggest that they be Finally, we believe that the convening of Unispace 4 should be linked to tangible objectives and actions that provide real added value to the work of COPUS, to international cooperation on space issues, and to the shaping of space governance. We thank Italy, Morocco, and UNOSA for organizing informal meetings to develop recommendations and look forward to engaging in these exchanges. To conclude, we stand ready to identify ways in which COPUS can benefit from a greater diversity of views while allowing sufficient time for substantive discussions. Given the magnitude of the task ahead, we must ensure that COPUS and its subcommittees continue their strong track record of delivering impactful results. Thank you for your attention.

I thank the distinguished representative of Germany for his statement. The following speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the United States.

Chair, the United States would first like to express its appreciation to the Secretary and you, Chair, for all the effort in organizing this session. My delegation is pleased that last year we were able to streamline our agenda without sacrificing content or member state engagement. We urge members to ensure that this UN body continues to meet high standards for transparency, accountability, integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness. My delegation would also like to recognize and highlight the value of intergovernmental, non-governmental, and private sector observers to this and other bodies of COPUAS. As we know, the issues we cover in our subcommittees are complex, and the diplomats and lawyers in the room need access to the expertise and unique perspectives provided by academia, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations. An excellent example comes from the technical expertise provided at last year's expert meeting co-hosted by Belgium and Luxembourg regarding space space resource activities. We share the view expressed that the dilution or undermining of COPUOS should be avoided, including by the creation of unnecessarily duplicative mandates in other UN fora, which would undercut the recognized technical, policy, and legal expertise of COPUOS and its subcommittees in international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. On that note, our delegation appreciates the Director's briefing on the impact of the liquidity crisis on critical UNOOSA operations. We hear now more than ever from state and non-state actors alike of the urgency to act upon our body's vital mandate, and UNOOSA's Secretariat provides support necessary to achieve that mandate. Chair, my delegation would also like to note its appreciation for the proposal from the UNOOSA Secretariat and the conference room paper from Italy and Morocco on UNISPACE-4. We look forward to further discussions at the plenary session in June, and believe it is important to focus on practical, results-based outcomes within existing resources. The United States also wishes to express its appreciation for the German proposal on space traffic, and we look forward to further discussions to better understand the aims and outcomes of the suggested study group. This could serve as a useful complementary effort to the proposal for more technically oriented discussions on space situational awareness, SSA, and safety of space operations at the SSTSC. While we view the topic of SSA as more pressing, we look forward to finding appropriate ways to discuss both of these critical issues across COPUAS. The United States would also like to acknowledge increased concerns around the topic of airspace management during space transportation activities and recommends future conversations between ICAO and UNOOSA to discuss these concerns. Chair, in conclusion, the United States remains committed to the essential work of COPUAS US and its subcommittees and looks forward to fostering mutually beneficial space activities with our fellow member states. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you very much, distinguished representative of the United States. The following speaker is the distinguished representative of Austria.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Austria considers COPUOS to be the primary platform for fostering international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, and within this framework, the Legal Subcommittee stands as the prime multilateral body mandated to promote the progressive development and codification of international space law. In this context, we welcome discussions on how to further strengthen our shared efforts. Allow me to highlight a few specific points. First, on clarity regarding the procedures of COPUOS. We welcome suggestions made by several member states advocating for clear terms of reference for the committee and thus also for the legal subcommittee. Establishing such a framework would enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency. As a starting point, we could further expand the existing Compendium on Rules of Procedure and Methods of Work, document A/AC.105/2016/CRP5. There should be a single document of reference for delegations. Elaborating on the rules governing the conduct of meetings and the negotiation of the report of the committee and its subcommittees. In this regards, we welcome the Secretariat's readiness to provide further guidance to delegations in an updated and simplified version of the just mentioned compendium. Second, on technical presentations, we also welcome ongoing consultations. On the organization of technical presentations. We believe these sessions offer valuable opportunities for experts— for expert networking and cross-fertilization of ideas. One possible approach could be to organize presentations thematically aligned with agenda items prior to the sessions. This would allow experts to engage more meaningfully with the content, promote dialogue with both peers and diplomatic community and build valuable connections around specific topics. Finally, let me inform you that Austria has actively contributed to the midterm review of the Space 2030 agenda. We see this as an essential step in aligning our collective actions with the needs expressed by member states. We hope this review will guide more targeted effective action on space sustainability and global space governance. Looking ahead, the upcoming Unispace 4 conference in 2027 offers an excellent opportunity to showcase progress and shape the future. We are mindful of the fact, though, that previous Unispace conferences, which have all been held in Vienna, were most successful when they had clearly defined goals and desired the deliverables. We look forward to further consultations on this and thank the facilitators, Morocco and Italy, for their work. Thank you for your kind attention.

I thank the distinguished representative of Austria for her statement. The following speaker is the distinguished representative of Australia.

Thank you, Chair. Distinguished delegates, let me begin by reaffirming Australia's support for the work of this committee. Australia appreciates the efforts made by the Chair and the Secretariat to support an efficient and productive session of this subcommittee. Chair, Australia once again expresses its condolences on the sad passing of Ambassador Andrzej Misztal of Poland. Ambassador Misztal was highly respected and made a significant contribution to the peaceful uses of outer space and the work of this— of the committee and its subcommittees. This included as chair of the Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities. Under Ambassador Misztal's able leadership, with Mr. Stephen Freeland of Australia as vice chair, the working group progressed its important work, including towards the development of a set of initial recommended principles for activities in the exploration, exploitation, and utilization of space resources. We take this opportunity to again express our support for the working group to progress this work consistent with its work plan. Australia supports Mr. Freeland to become chair of the working group moving forward. We are confident in Mr. Freeland's ability, as evidenced in his performance as vice chair, to facilitate an inclusive exchange of views use during future deliberations of the Working Group. We hope that any matters concerning the Bureau of this Working Group be considered separately from that of the substantive work of the Working Group. Australia notes with concern the negative impact of the liquidity crisis on the operating budget of the Office of Outer Space Affairs, and the subsequent impact this has on activities that the Office undertakes as requested by member States. In this regard, Australia appreciates efforts by member states and the Secretariat to find ways to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the meetings of the committee and its subcommittees, particularly in light of the growing membership cohort and increase in space activities. This includes exploring ways to optimize our time and resources, such as in relation to the adoption of the draft report. It is important for the committee to remain focused and constructive. We welcome ongoing opportunities to explore reasonable adjustments so that our methods of work remain sustainable and to empower current and new members of the committee, including emerging spacefaring nations, as well as permanent observers and, where appropriate, other non-governmental stakeholders, to meaningfully contribute their diverse perspectives to the committee's work. We recall Action 56 of the Pact for the Future, which strengthens the committee's role as the forum for intergovernmental cooperation in outer space and encourages the committee to further consult on the proposal to hold a Unispace 4 in 2027. With the 70th anniversary of the committee and the 60th anniversary of the Outer Space Treaty approaching, a Unispace 4 in 2027 provides an opportunity to set a clear direction for the future, including work already underway in the committee. Australia thanks Morocco and Italy for taking forward the proposal for a Unispace 4 and looks forward to developing a pragmatic, action-oriented conference. Chair, Australia welcomes the establishment of the Action Team on Lunar Activities consultation and is pleased its important work has commenced. Australia thanks the co-chairs of the Action Team for preparing a non-paper for the consideration of the Action Team and for convening the intersessional meetings in March and April. We extend our full support to the co-chairs, Mr. Hassan Abbas of Pakistan and Ms. Ulpia Elena Botezatu of Romania, and look forward to arriving at consensus on the work plan. Chair, Australia will continue to engage with member states and permanent observers in considering further opportunities for the committee to progress its important work in an efficient and productive manner. Thank you, Chair.

Muchas gracias. Thank you very much, distinguished representative of Australia, for your statement. The following speaker is the distinguished representative of Chile.

Thank you very much, Chair. Firstly, we wish to express our support for the convening of Unispace 4 and the conference room paper presented by Italy and Morocco regarding the working group on legal aspects of space activities. We wish to state for the record our support allowing Professor Freeland to continue exercising the chair of this working group. And now I would like to take up the impact of the liquidity crisis on the organization. In light of the liquidity crisis that was explained in detail to us by the executive director, we would like to propose a specific measure that we feel feel could contribute to optimizing available resources. We would like to suggest reducing the speaking time allocated for statements from 5 to 3 minutes. The agenda item on general exchange of views could therefore be retained at 5 minutes, but we do feel that for all other statements, as is the case in other fora, we could make efforts and agree to reduce the speaking time limit to 3 minutes. We believe that this simple reduction in speaking time could give rise to significant savings for the organization without affecting the quality of our deliberations. We wish to express our gratitude to delegations in advance for consideration of this proposal, which is being presented in a constructive spirit in support of more efficient management. Finally, we would I would equally like to extend our support for the possibility of merging a number of agenda items in keeping with the suggestions made by the distinguished representative of the Netherlands, as well as the call for the further simplification of reports of our meetings, which was raised by the United Kingdom. Thank you very much, Chair.

Thank you very much, distinguished representative of Chile, for your statement. The following speaker on my list Is the distinguished representative of Italy? Then we shall proceed to the following speaker on the list. Which is the distinguished representative of Czechia.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Czechia welcomes the recent improvements to the committee's working methods, particularly the introduction of time limit for speakers, which has contributed to more efficient and focused discussion.

And we could.

Take into account the proposal made by Chile just recently. Looking ahead, we believe that further streamlining of the agenda is needed in order to allow the Legal Subcommittee to address emerging challenges in the future. In this regard, we support the proposal made by Netherlands to merge and therefore streamline Agenda Items 9 on space debris mitigation, Agenda Item 11 on space traffic management, and Agenda Item 12 on small satellites activities together with large constellations, as these topics are closely interconnected and discussing them together would allow for a more holistic exchange of views. Additionally, we support the statement presented by Canada regarding Agenda Item 6A on the definition and delimitation of outer space, as well as the Agenda Item 6B on the character and utilization of geostationary orbit. As demonstrated in the recent Working Group on the Definition and Delimitation of Outer Space meeting, there was no request from delegations to discuss the topic, indicating that these items may have been thoroughly addressed and may now be considered exhausted. Czechia believes that these adjustments will enable the Legal Subcommittee to focus its efforts on the most pressing and relevant issues regarding the legal legal aspects of peaceful uses of outer space.

Thank you, Chair.

Muchas gracias, Herr Leichting. Thank you very much, distinguished representative of Czechia, for your statement. We will continue our consideration of Agenda Item 7, Future Role and Methods of the Work of the Committee, pending the outcome of consultations on matters such as Unispace 4, ATLAS, and organizational matters led by the delegation of India. Distinguished delegates, I would now like to begin our consideration of agenda item 8, general exchange of views on potential legal models for activities in the exploration and exploitation and utilization of space resources. And the first speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Kenya on behalf of the G77 and China. You have the floor.

Chair, the Group of 77 and China underscores the importance of this topic in connection with the future of international cooperation in space exploration, which the group believes should not depart from the basic legal principles of the non-appropriation and equitable access to outer space, which is the common province of humankind. The group expresses its concern that some countries have introduced national laws allowing the exploitation of celestial bodies for economic purposes. It is thus urgent for this subcommittee to consider how such developments interact with the body of established international space law in order to avoid gaps or contradictions in the legal framework in this area and to provide a clear understanding of the legal obligations of states in space exploration, exploitation, and utilization. The group expresses its condolences on the passing of the chair of the Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resources, activities, Ambassador Andrzej Misztal of Poland. The group reiterates its support of the work of the working group carried out by the Vice Chair, Professor Stephen Freeland of Australia, on the general exchange of views on potential, potential legal models for the activities in exploration, exploitation, and utilization of space resources during the session of the Legal Subcommittee. The group takes note of the draft of recommended principles for the space resources activities prepared by the Vice Chair and looks forward to fruitful deliberations on this pertinent issue. The group believes that discussions should be as inclusive as possible for the benefit and in the interest of all humankind, taking into consideration the needs of developing countries. The group is of the view that any approach for the exploration, exploitation, exploitation and utilization of space resources should be equitable, constructive, collaborative, consensus-based, and most of all does not leave behind or unfairly disadvantage developing countries. The group also believes that in order to be inclusive and transparent, this discussion should take place within formal sessions which should be allotted sufficient time with interpretation services in all UN languages. The group is of the view that in light of the increasing participation and the evolving potential of the private sector in space activities, the negotiation of a possible international legally binding instrument that clearly defines and guides commercial activities in outer space could play an important role in expanding the use of outer space and stimulate space activities for the benefit of humanity. The group considers that besides the need for a broad debate about the implications of these activities, the developing countries shall not be excluded from the benefits of space exploration, and their rights shall be taken into account in the discussions. Thank you, Chair.

Muchas gracias.

I thank the distinguished representative of Kenya on behalf of the G77 and China. And the following speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of Norway.

Thank you, Chair.

Firstly, the Norwegian delegation wishes again to express our condolences to the Polish delegation on the passing away of Ambassador Misztal.

We are grateful that the Vice Chair of the Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resources Activities nevertheless has managed to produce the set of proposed principles before us today. And Norway congratulates the Vice Chair on work well done.

This is a very useful contribution to the discussion and development of the legal framework for such activities. As stated in the past, Norway supports the development of a UN legal framework that promotes the safe, sustainable, and peaceful activities on celestial bodies.

As for the proposed approach, we support dividing the initial set of draft principles into 2 parts and support the Vice Chair's proposal on how to proceed.

We believe this is a useful way to structure and move the discussion forward. There is one aspect briefly described in Part 1 we would still like to see further developed.

We would prefer a stronger emphasis on the importance of benefit sharing and that the activities should benefit current and future generations.

We look forward to discussing the proposed principles in the working group. Thank you, Chair.

Muchas gracias. Thank you very much, distinguished representative of Norway. The next speaker is the distinguished representative of Greece.

Thank you, Chair. Distinguished colleagues, over the last few years there has been an intense debate on the development of activities related to exploration, exploitation and utilization of outer space resources. Greece has been actively involved on the matter and strongly believes that any such activities need a solid and unequivocal legal framework. The dynamic emergence of the private sector in outer space activities creates new challenges, so it's expected that private entities will play an active role in exploration and exploitation of the resources of celestial bodies in general, as and when the become feasible. As developments and activities are speeding up, it's obvious that they are testing the boundaries of currently existing legal frameworks on space governance. As a consequence, it's necessary to significantly reduce the legal risk arising from the absence of clear ad hoc regulations. It follows that the creation of a specific solid international legal framework will be a decisive factor in making today's expectation a reality. The international character of the relevant framework, together with its consistency with the applicable international law, and in particular Article 3 of the Outer Space Treaty, will certainly ensure a responsible use of space resources on the one hand, and will effectively serve the commonly accepted objective of the long-term sustainability of space activities on the other.

Thank you.

Chair, it must be recalled that in our Common Agenda and Policy Brief 7, entitled For All Humanity: The Future of Outer Space Governance, which was elaborated by the UN Secretary-General in view of last year's UN Summit of the Future, the Secretary-General recommended member states, among others, I quote, to develop an effective framework for sustainable exploration, exploitation, and utilization of the Moon and other celestial bodies. This framework could include binding and non-legally binding aspects and should build upon the 5 United Nations treaties on outer space and other instruments for international cooperation in the peaceful use of outer space. Without agreed international principles on activities in the exploration, exploitation, and utilization of space resources, these economic incentives carry a potential risk of conflict, environmental degradation, degradation and cultural loss. In light of the above, Greece's position in the Legal Subcommittee is and should continue to be the primary forum for discussion of an international legal framework for the development of space resource activities. In developing such a legal framework, the importance of international cooperation is more than crucial, and in this connection, we believe that any other existing multilateral initiatives, fora, or models of constructive multilateral cooperation on the matter, such as, for example, the Artemis Accords, are most welcome and could contribute to our collective aspiration to expand the horizons of human exploration and knowledge in accordance with the applicable international law and in particular Article 3 of Outer Space Treaty. It is our shared responsibility to ensure that existing international space law is fully implemented and that effective governance is in place to propel innovation and mitigate risks. As said already, regulations are needed to ensure legal certainty. They should not be too restrictive to allow economic growth, but at the same time they should ensure that space is available for future generations. The COPOS Legal Subcommittee has proven its ability to deliver on its mandate. We welcome in this regard the progress made so far within the Legal Subcommittee. Committee Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities, a progress that was also noted with satisfaction in Para 11 of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 79/87 of 2024 on International Cooperation in the Peaceful Use of Outer Space. From our side, we commend the progress made since the establishment of the Working Group on Space Resources under the effective leadership of its chair, the late Ambassador Andrea Mistral, and its vice chair, Professor Stephen Freeland. In this connection, allow us to express our deep sorrow for the sudden loss of Ambassador Andrea Mistral, former chair of the Legal Subcommittee, who has contributed significantly and guided successfully the work of the Working Group. We would also like in this regard to commend the vice chair, Professor Freeland, for this work for his work in preparing the initial draft of Recommended Principles for Space Resources Activities, which in its Part 1 addresses fundamental concepts over which a common understanding appears to be within the Working Group, while in its Part 2 it addresses additional issues over which there does not appear to be a common understanding in the Working Group. The principal aim of the Recommended Principles is to facilitate initiative by states through either governmental or non-governmental entities to utilize space resources in an efficient, lawful, sustainable, rational, and equitable manner in accordance with international law. Mr. Chair, in concluding, let me assure that Greece will continue to support the work of the Working Group on the Legal Aspect of Space Resource Activities and will work continuously towards the implementation of a substantive international cooperation on the issue of exploration, exploitation, and utilization of space resources. We are looking forward to constructively participating in the Working Group meetings during the present LSE session.

I thank you.

Muchas gracias.

I thank the distinguished representative of Greece for his statement. The following speaker is the distinguished representative of Canada.

Chair, thank you for the opportunity to share Canada's views on this topic. We once again wish to convey our condolences for the loss of the previous chair of the Working Group, Mr. André Michaud. His contributions to this legal subcommittee will be sorely missed. We wish to thank the vice-chair of the Working Group, Stephen Freeland, for his diligent work developing the draft set of recommended principles on space resource activities, which represent a positive and concrete step on this important matter. Article 1 of the Outer Space Treaty establishes that the use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is open to everyone. The right to use outer space includes the right to use the resources located in outer space, which are available for use by anyone engaging in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space in accordance with international law. The use of space resources also includes the ability to consume such resources. This is the point of uncovering most resources. to incorporate or transform them into structures or fuel, consuming them in the process. Doing so is consistent with the right to use outer space resources and does not contravene the non-appropriation principle in Article 2 of the Outer Space Treaty. There is a distinction between use on the one hand and appropriation. Use, including consumption, is permissible so long as it is not exclusive. No No one state or person can monopolize or keep resources in place for their exclusive use. Once again, Article 1 of the Outer Space Treaty makes it clear that outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, which includes in situ resources, are available to be used and explored by everyone. However, the freedom to use space resources cannot be a license to be reckless with resource utilization or to disregard the interests of other states parties to the Outer Space Treaty. Safety and sustainability of outer space activities, including space resource activities, is of great importance. This is crucial for ensuring respect for the principle in Article 1 of the Outer Space Treaty that the exploration and use of outer space be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development. The challenge is to identify principles principles and practices that enable safe and sustainable space resource activities without hindering the development of technical means to do so or the feasibility of such activities. There are existing models of resource management that can give us some ideas of what to do and what not to do. Some models focus on avoiding interference and conflict while remaining mostly silent on regulation of economics and the purpose of the activity. The ITU is an example of such a model. It has been relatively successful at regulating the radio frequency spectrum on Earth and in space, along with the orbital slots associated with the use of those radio frequencies. There are also other models that are more prescriptive, requiring detailed regulations for different phases of the activity. The International Seabed Authority employs such a model. The legal foundation for the Seabed Authority was developed well in advance of the commencement of seabed mining. It also split its regulatory framework, developing regulations for the prospecting and exploration phase of operations before it moved on to the regulations for the extraction phase. This model, which includes a benefit-sharing regime, is more detailed than other models, and current work on the exploitation regulations has seen very slow progress. As a result, the regulatory framework to enable commercial exploitation of seabed resources is not yet complete even though such activities are ready to begin. In addition to the existing regulatory models, there are also examples of principles that guide activities. These are non-legally binding but serve to provide some structure to the activity during its initial stages. Indeed, space law began with the elaboration of non-legally binding principles which later became the basis for space treaties. In the field of space resource activities and deep space exploration, there are already some early examples, such as the Hague Building Blocks for the Development of an International Framework on Space Resource Activities and the Artemis Accords. Such principles can also make a useful contribution to the discussion on legal models for space resource activities. Chair, distinguished delegates, there is no perfect model that can simply be copied and used to manage space resources. That means the international community is free to create the most suitable model by learning from the successes and failures of others. It is important to keep in mind while addressing the topic of legal models for space resource activities that such activities are not guaranteed to occur. Space resource utilization is not yet feasible. There are still significant technological hurdles to overcome. Space resource activities will only become a reality, and humanity will only reap the benefits if the framework developed for such activities is practical, encourages innovation, and creates the conditions necessary for it to thrive in a safe and sustainable manner. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Canada for his statement. The following speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of France.

Thank you, Chairperson. Chairperson, distinguished delegates, France would like to pay tribute to Ambassador André Mistral, who passed away this year, for his outstanding work as Chairperson of the Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities. We also would like to thank Professor Stephen Freeland for for his co-chairmanship of the Working Group and for the zero draft of principles on space resource activities. We take note of it. France would like to assure him of our support and continuation of the work. We are fully committed to the discussions held within the Working Group. With that in mind, we have submitted an initial contribution in 2022 on the scope of the group. Nature of information to be collected and the applicability of the existing legal framework to space resources. In 2024, France presented its initiative Spaceship FR during the meeting of experts in Luxembourg. We also submitted to the working group a new proposal for a possible legal foundation for space resource exploration and use in that In its second contribution, France reiterates its proposal that the approach should be based on the purposes for which resources are to be used, with the aim initially to allow states to have an initial exchange of views on consensus-based purposes and thus respond to short or medium-term needs. France also proposed 8 other principles that could be taken on board in a future framework on the use of space resources.

Resources.

Those include the peaceful use, uh, in line with international law of space resource extraction and utilization activities. Uh, utilization of space resources should be, uh, aligned with the principle of non-appropriation on the one hand, and the principle of authorization and supervision by state of the activities of internationals on the other hand, uh, taking on board the interests of all countries and current and future generations via the reasonable use and extraction of resources and taking on board the interests of other states, sharing of information and the creation of consultation mechanisms, notably so as to ensure priority is accorded to scientific research, planetary protection resulting from utilization and extraction activities, and also the sharing of the benefits for scientific purposes. Chairperson, France recalls The low-level adhesion to the 1979 Moon and Other Celestial Bodies Treaty. One of its ambitions was to establish an international legal framework for the exploration of space resources. The international community needs to have a framework to allow development of space resource-related activities. The need for that legal framework stems from the international dimension of the legal problems at play, so governance of access to resources. Sources, coexistence of activities on the same celestial body, recognition of rights accorded by states to operators, risk prevention, and the preservation of the environment of the, uh, celestial bodies in question. We reiterate our commitment to the universal framework established by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, as well as the elaboration in the multilateral framework of principles governing the exploration, exploitation, and use of space resources. We call on all COPROX member states to work towards consensus on this matter in line with international law. The legal framework settled upon will allow for legal security and predictability for public and private actors alike seeking to engage in such activities. France is of the view that the Unispace 4 conference should have as one of its objectives supporting and endorsing the work of the Working Group on the Use of space resources.

Thank you.

Muchas gracias, distinguished representative. Thank you very much, distinguished representative of France, for your statement. The following speaker is the distinguished representative of the Netherlands.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, for giving me the floor.

Mr.

Chair, distinguished delegates, I wish to repeat to begin with our condolences condolences again regarding the passing of Mr. André Michthal, who will be dearly missed. To the topic of the regulation of the exploration, exploitation, and utilization of space resources, the Kingdom of the Netherlands has contributed actively. The present status of the topic of regulation of space resources activities has benefited greatly, and I might say will continue to benefit from discussions within but also outside of COPUOS. All such discussions may inform COPUOS. In the view of my delegation, the key work has been done within the context of the The Hague International Space Resources Working Group, which has delivered its building blocks, and together with Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands actively recommends these to the members of the subcommittee for their consideration. In addition, the signatories to the Artemis Accords also discuss matters relevant to space resources activities, and the results of these discussions may equally inform the subcommittee of the relevant views of member states. Finally, the states parties to the Moon Agreement also constitute a group of states that will have to consider how to regulate space resources activities. Instead of rejecting the work of other groups, this subcommittee should welcome the consideration of the work of such groups, especially in view of the liquidity crisis and the impossibility of doing all the work ourselves. The regulation of space resources activities in accordance with international law may be achieved through a legally binding instrument, but responsible behavior may also be achieved through norms and principles and the consideration of space resources activities in all its aspects. Our work in this subcommittee is very conducive to that goal. My delegation would like to thank the Vice Chair, Mr. Stephen Freeland of the Working Group, for the initial set of draft recommended Thank you very much. The resolution is a good start for the discussion of space resources. It includes important principles. At the same time, we should be aware that much work lies ahead of us. It is in the interest of the international community as a whole that space resources activities are properly regulated to ensure that the future principles applicable to the peaceful use of outer space are respected by all and through all space activities. We have carefully analyzed the initial set of draft recommended principles and welcome most of the suggestions made, but do note that a meaningful regulation of space resources activities would require further detail. In this regard, we would recommend the building blocks for the development of an international framework on space resources activities, Submitted to this subcommittee by Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2020 in document A/AC.105/C.2/L315. While we appreciate the cautious approach and hence the separation of principles and potential principles in the initial set presented this year, we need to avoid talking only in potentialities. We are now adding possible principles to recommended principles for a potential legal model. For the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the issues addressed in the potential principles are required to be included if we are to achieve any meaningful regulation. And while we appreciate that the present principles are non-binding, we should not lose sight of those obligations we already have. As to the specific topics to be included, we should ensure a balanced approach. What is required is, on the one hand, to ensure that states comply with their obligations under international law, exercise the requisite jurisdiction and control, and regulate accordingly. On the other, however, we should ensure that that operators are provided with sufficient legal certainty. In that regard, we must consider matters such as priority rights, resources rights, and comprehensive registration of resources activities. Adaptive governance would be the preferred approach. As to definitions, we would refer colleagues again to the building blocks and the way in which the definitional issues have been resolved there. And finally, we would also recommend the setting up of instruments and procedures for the settlement of disputes, the implementation of the obligations of due regard, the allocation of liability, and the monitoring and redressing of harmful impacts resulting from space resources activities. We hope that this can be achieved in the course of the work of this subcommittee and its dedicated working group. And Mr. Mr. Chair, you may count on the full support of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in these regards. I thank you for your attention.

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much, distinguished delegate of the Netherlands. The following speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the United States. You have the floor.

Chair, first my delegation would like to reiterate its condolences to the family and friends of former Working Group Chair Andrzej Michal of Poland. Andrzej provided the Working Group with excellent leadership and a positive attitude, and he will truly be missed. We express our appreciation for Vice Chair Stephen Freeland of Australia for keeping the ship steady since Andrzej's passing last year. We stand ready to support you in your efforts and trust in your able leadership. We are grateful to Vice Chair Freeland for compiling submissions from states and developing an initial list of principles to focus our deliberations. Last year, the United States was pleased to participate in the expert meeting in Luxembourg, as well as the International Conference on Space Resources hosted during last year's legal subcommittee. These events were opportunities for delegations to learn from the private sector and other experts about the status of the science, technology and the business cases that are developing for space resource activities. Humankind is discovering immense benefits that humanity can reap from the extraction and utilization of resources in outer space, which will be particularly vital for ensuring safe and sustainable deep space exploration. The utilization of space-based resources, whether on the moon, asteroids, or elsewhere, is critical to the long-term viability of space activities. activities. As experts discussed at last year's events, relying on the extraction and transportation of Earth's limited resources to support sustained human exploration on the Moon and missions to Mars and beyond is both operationally and economically impractical and unfeasible. Governments and the private sector are actively developing technologies to build solar panels, habitats, and other infrastructure using lunar regolith. And to produce propellant from lunar ice. As one private sector expert in Luxembourg noted about the benefits of space resource activities, these activities have a, quote, unique capability of enabling other activities. Despite the promise and growth of space resource activities, there is still much we do not understand, particularly regarding the location and concentration of ice on the Moon. Significant exploration and technological development are still necessary to fully harness its potential and advance our capabilities. This reinforces the fact that there is a lack of a practical basis for a comprehensive international legal framework governing space resource utilization activities. Last year, we heard from leading government and private sector experts that resource exploration and surveying missions, as well as initial technology demonstration missions, must take place before widespread space resource utilization activities can occur. Establishing rules in international law, given the scientific, technical, and operational uncertainties, would not only be inadvisable but may also needlessly hinder the development of potential and scientific benefits of space resource activities before they even take place. The 4 core space treaties provide a basis A basic legal framework within which states can ensure their interests are protected during these initial missions. The United States reiterates its longstanding view that the utilization of space-based resources, including commercial utilization, can be done consistently with the core United Nations space treaties. Under Article 2 of the Outer Space Treaty, outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national jurisdiction. Appropriation by claims of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means. In the U.S. view, this prohibition on national appropriation does not, however, limit ownership to be exercised by states or private entities over those natural resources that have been removed from their place on or below the surface of the moon or other celestial bodies when consistent with U.S. international obligations and domestic law. Such removal is permitted by Article 1 of the treaty, which provides that outer space, including the moon and outer other celestial bodies, shall be free for exploration and use by all states. In other words, it is the U.S. position that the non-appropriation principle in Article 2 applies to the natural resources of celestial bodies only when such resources are in place in situ, and Article 1 recognizes the right of exploitation. As a part of the right of use. The Outer Space Treaty shapes the manner in which space resource utilization activities are carried out, but it does not broadly preclude such activities. We do, however, see potential benefits of the general high-level initial set of non-binding principles to help ensure that all nations engaged in space resource activities share a common set of fundamental beliefs in the rule of law, transparency, open science, interoperability, avoiding harmful interference, and in peaceful purposes, among others. The Artemis Accords underscore these and other critical principles and form a starting point for our efforts on space resource activities. We look forward to productively engaging in the Working Group on Space Resources towards a pragmatic outcome to draft a set of high-level, non-legally binding principles that are well informed by activities underway by the private sector and space agencies. agencies alike. We hope that our discussions reflect the rich inputs from the stakeholders who participated in last year's expert meeting and international conference and take into account developments since our last LSE session. The United States will utilize ground development and early space resource demonstration missions to inform our inputs to this working group, which will help define and develop best practices for subsequent activities. Thank you, Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of the United States for her statement. The following speaker is the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom.

Thank you, Chairman. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, my delegation would first like to reiterate our condolences to the family and friends of the chair of the Working Group, Andreas Misthal, for his untimely passing. irrespective of the degree of economic or scientific development. The United Kingdom understands the importance of space resources for our exploration goals. In the past year, the United Kingdom, alongside Canada, has funded the Aqua Lunar Challenge, a £1.2 million prize fund focused on making human habitation in space possible by developing or driving the development of innovative technologies to find ways to purify water buried beneath the Moon's surface. Space resource technologies like those developed as part of the Aqua Lunar Challenge will help us unlock deep space exploration, propel scientific research, and help us craft the tools and technologies of the future that will ultimately enable humans to live, work, and sustain life on the lunar surface and that of other celestial bodies. The UK, alongside over 50 other states, is a proud signatory of the Artemis Accords, which contains principles for the peaceful exploration of the Moon consistent with the OST. As we seek to develop norms for peaceful, safe, and sustainable use and exploration of the Moon, we must ensure that they too are consistent with the OST. The UK delegation was pleased to see the zero draft of the proposed principles on space resource utilization and is supportive of the process outlined by the acting chair of the working group on space resources. It is the United Kingdom's view that these draft principles set out a broadly balanced draft for high-level principles representing the range of views presented by member states, experts, and civil society. Our delegation believes that the draft presents a viable basis for moving forward with our discussions to ensuring that the potential of space resources is realized. Chair, we welcome the broad agreement within the zero draft on many important issues. Without outlining an exhaustive list, we welcome principles on important areas such as ensuring compliance with international law, definition of space resources, ensuring appropriate authorization and supervision of non-government actors, safety, sustainability, information sharing, review and development of principles in the future as well. Widespread support for these draft high-level principles is a positive step forward in our deliberations on space resource utilization. Chair, the United Kingdom believes it is important for these draft principles are shared widely with many space actors to examine. An important next step for the working group would be to publish the zero draft for global civil society to submit their views for considerations by member states. The United Kingdom also believes that additional Principle 2E on the extraction of space resources, um, not inherently constituting national appropriation under Article 2 of the Outer Space Treaty, should be added to the main body of the draft. This is to remove ambiguity that the extraction and use of space resources in line with the draft principles and the OST does not convene Article 2 of the Outer Space Treaty. It will also be important to recognize that we need to protect science and cultural heritage in the lunar environment, particularly with regards to space resource extraction. The United Kingdom believes it's important that draft space resources principles reflect the need to ensure that sites of specific scientific interest or sites of cultural and historical significance are protected appropriately for the benefit of future generations. The UK believes that it's important that we have a mechanism beyond the work plan of the Working Group for international discussions to continue once we have agreed these draft principles. Space resources are a rapidly developing field that contain a variety of activities and operations that may take place in a wide range of space environments. We need to ensure that there are opportunities for the principles to evolve as our understanding of space resources and their associated mission architectures grows, creating new regulatory policy needs as this do so. The United Kingdom views the zero draft as an important step in agreeing principles for the extraction of space resources. And finally, we would like to thank the Acting Chair, Stephen Freeland, for his tireless work within the working group and on the zero draft, and offer him our full support as we move forward in these important discussions. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you very much, distinguished representative of the United Kingdom, for that statement. The following speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation.

Distinguished Chairperson, we would like to begin by offering our condolences in connection with the passing of Ambassador Andrzej Misztal. Ambassador Misztal was a renowned expert in international law. And made a significant contribution to the work of the Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities. The memory of Ambassador Misztal will live on in the hearts of his colleagues and friends. Chair, before the full-scale use of space resources gets started in earnest, the international community should assign due attention to crafting on a non-confrontational basis mutually acceptable approaches to addressing a broad spectrum of issues of a technical, economic, environmental, policy, legal, and ethical nature related to the development of such resources. Activities involving the exploration, acquisition, and use of space resources should be conducted within a clear legal framework enjoying the broadest possible recognition at the global level. Deliberations on this should proceed on the basis of the principles and norms of international space law enshrined in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, including its Articles 1 to 4 inclusive. We are particularly concerned at attempts by some states to legalize at the national level the appropriation of extracted space mineral resources and to enshrine a special legal regime to govern the developed sectors of celestial bodies by establishing so-called security zones on them. Unilateral actions by states by way of interpretation of provisions of international space law governing the exploration and use of space resources will inevitably entail Underscores the need to confine deliberations on these matters within the committee and its relevant working group. We welcome the commencement of substantive work by the working group. We do not object to using the initial draft of recommended principles prepared by the vice chair as a basis for our discussions. However, in our statements, we have repeatedly underscored the need to elaborate a set of concepts as a first step in crafting an agreement of mutually agreeable approaches to the international governance of this activity. Our view is that the working group should focus its attention on this. Unless there is clear definition of terms and concepts related to the extraction and use of space resources, it will be difficult to devise an appropriate legal framework. The definition of concepts, on the other hand, will help avoid misunderstandings and legal conflicts and ensure the stability and predictability of space activity. Space resources as an object of legal governance must be considered as an integral part of outer space. This principle must be enshrined directly in the subcommittee's recommendations. Another important task of the working group is to devise a mechanism for monitoring space resource exploitation and utilization activities, which could include the following: assignment of liability when such activity is conducted, Enforcement of international standards on space resource extraction and the supervision of the legality of the conduct of such operations. Supervision of licensing activity. A system for conflict and dispute settlement between entities involved in such activities. And a system for intergovernmental consultations, a mechanism to inform the international community, including the obligation to inform the United Nations Secretary-General of the nature, course, location, and results of such activities. And finally, consideration of the expediency of creating a special international body to curate the space resource utilization system along the lines of the ITU and the International Seabed Authority.

Thank you.

Thank you very much to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation. The following speaker on my list is the distinguished representative of New Zealand.

You have the floor.

Thank you, Chair.

New Zealand welcomes the ongoing progress of the Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities towards developing principles in support of ensuring the safety and sustainability of the state of the space environment. And in this spirit, uh, of efficiency, uh, a longer version of this statement will be available online. Um, but firstly, thank you, Professor Freeland, for providing the initial draft set of recommended principles for space resource activities. It is a great milestone, and we hope that the group produces an outcome that is practical to implement, and supports our shared ambitions in space. New Zealand notes that the existing international legal framework, while providing a strong foundation for the governance of outer space activities, is not sufficient to regulate space resource utilisation and adjacent activities in the long term. We recognize the need to supplement existing international law, including the Outer Space Treaty, with more detailed rules and norms to ensure the safety and sustainability of these activities, including the protection— including protection of the space environment. Non-binding instruments and fora can also be useful in guiding the behavior of states and in supporting the development of rules and norms. Of relevance to space resource utilization are the Artemis Accords. The practical work of the Artemis Accords continues to support the space community, including on space resource utilization issues, And we encourage states to consider signing up to the principles contained within them.

Thank you, Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of New Zealand. Distinguished delegates, Before turning to the Working Group on the Status and Application of the United Nations Treaties on Outer Space, I would like to remind delegations of the proposal that was made yesterday. Regarding the proposal for the candidature of the Bureau of the Working Group. I would like to remind delegates of the proposal that was made regarding the designation of the chair of the Working Group on the Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities, and to recall once again that until the end of today, Wednesday, the 7th of May, I would like to remind you that the nomination process is still open. Tomorrow morning, at the beginning of our meeting, under this agenda item, I will inform delegates of the status of nominations. And following that, I would invite interested delegates to informal consultations that I plan to hold during lunchtime. Thank you. On Thursday, 8th of May, between 1:15 and 2 p.m. in Room M6, to see if any general agreement may emerge on the composition of the Bureau. After the informal consultations on Thursday, I suggest that the subcommittee formally take up this matter during its consideration of Agenda Item 8, General Exchange of Views on the potential legal models for activities in the exploration, exploitation, and utilization of space resources. Distinguished delegates, we will continue our consideration of Agenda Item 8, General Exchange of Views on Potential Legal Models for Activities in the Exploration, Exploitation, and Utilization of Space resources tomorrow morning. Distinguished delegates, as there are no technical presentations scheduled for this afternoon, I will shortly adjourn this meeting so that the working group on the status and application of the five United Nations treaties on outer space can hold its meeting. Before doing so. However, there are two announcements. Firstly, the Secretariat informed me of an official communication received today by the Office for Outer Space Affairs, dated 7th of May 2025, today, concerning the imminent reentry of Cosmos. 482. This communication was received from the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations and was addressed to the Secretary-General. I would now like to give the floor to the delegation of the Russian Federation to make an announcement. Thank you.

Thank you, Chairperson. We would like, as you said, To make a brief announcement in accordance with instructions that we received from capital, we refer to the commencement of descent descent from orbit of Interplanetary Station Cosmos 482 or Venera 9, which was launched on the 31st of March 1972. As a responsible spacefaring nation, the Russian Federation. Is— has a vested interest in informing the international community of the process underway. In accordance with the UN Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space, Cosmos 482 was assigned the national ID number 597 and international ID number 1972-023- The launch state is the USSR. The function is research of the upper layers of the atmosphere and of outer space. As of 8:30 a.m. Moscow time on the 5th of May, the orbital parameters of Kosmos 482 were as follows: incline 51.5 degrees.

51.5 degrees.

51.95 degrees.

The period was 88.9 minutes. The apogee was 332 kilometers. The perigee was 146 kilometers. The forecast time of The timetable of cessation of ballistic existence in Moscow time is as follows. Left border, 9 May, 11:19 AM. Central point, 10th of May, 2:13 AM. Right border, 11th of May, 10:39 PM.

Thank you.

That concludes our announcement, distinguished colleagues. I suspect that you may have additional questions. Unfortunately, that is the only information at the present time that we have available, and we would be prepared to take any questions or comments. Thank you very much. Comments you may have.

Thank you. I would like to thank the Russian Federation for this information. I would now like to give the floor to the Secretariat to make some announcements.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Chair.

Allow me to make another announcement. that following the discussions led by Dr. Prakash Chauhan of India this morning on organizational matters, there is a known paper being distributed today on the management of technical presentations at sessions of the committee and its subcommittees. And this known paper will be shortly uploaded onto the website of this session of the Legal Subcommittee. Once again, this known paper on the management of or presentations at sessions of the committee and its subcommittees will be uploaded onto the session website a little later today. Thank you very much, Mr.

Chair.

Muchas gracias. Thank you very much. Then we will suspend our plenary so that the Working Group on the Status and Application of the 5 United Nations Treaties Thank you very much, Mr. President. I hereby declare the meeting adjourned. Before doing so, I would like to inform delegates of our schedule of work for tomorrow morning. We will meet promptly at 10:00 a.m. and continue our consideration of Agenda Item 3, General Exchange of Views. We will continue and hopefully suspend our consideration of Agenda Item 7, Future Role and Methods of the work of the committee pending the outcome, as you know, of consultations on matters such as Unispace 4, ATLAS, and organizational matters led by the delegation of India. We will continue also with our consideration of Agenda Item 8, General Exchange of Views on Potential Legal Models for Activities in the exploration, exploitation, and utilization of space resources. And time permitting, we will begin our consideration of Agenda Item 9, which is general exchange of information and views on legal mechanisms relating to space debris mitigation and remediation measures, taking into account the work of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. We will then adjourn the plenary meeting so that the Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities can hold its second meeting. Following the adjournment of this Working Group meeting, we will then proceed with the discussions on organizational matters. Led by the delegation of India, there will be no technical presentations tomorrow morning, and delegates are reminded that the full schedule of technical presentations is available on the session's webpage. I would like to inform delegates that the informal consultations on Unispace Four. Will be held in Conference Room M3 tomorrow morning from 9 AM to 10 AM. The consultation will also be available via the MS Teams link contained in the circular CU/2025/137 of the 29th of April, 2025. The schedule of the consultations is available on the webpage of the session. And I would now like to give the floor to the Secretariat to provide information on a number of side events.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Distinguished delegates, for this evening at 6:30 PM, there will be a side event organized by the European Space Policy Institute entitled Who Owns Space Innovation? Between Sovereignty and International Cooperation. This event will take place at the European Space Policy Institute premises in Vienna, and all delegations are invited. Thank you very much, Mr.

Chair. I thank the Secretariat for the information provided. Are there any questions or comments? On the schedule, on these comments. Parece haber ninguna por consuelo. I see none. Then distinguished delegates, this meeting. Levantamos la sesión. Are we adjourning? This meeting is adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. Pero bueno, hemos levantado. The plenary meeting is adjourned until 10:00 AM, but now I would like to invite the Working Group on the Status and Application of the 5 United Nations Treaties on Outer Space to hold its second meeting. Thank you very much.

Thank you.