WHY IS A U.N. SPACE PRESERVATION TREATY-SIGNING IMPORTANT?

The current U.S. Administration plans to deploy space-based weapons.  One main purpose is to dominate and control space, as the actor who dominates and controls space, dominates and control all on earth.  Space-based weapons are dangerous, destabilizing, too costly, and unnecessary, as they would not protect anyone or anything…and there is a better choice.   Fortunately, a U.N. Space Preservation Treaty is ready to be signed into law.  This is the one moment in time when space-based weapons can be banned…before deployment under the guise of  “research” or “tests” of missile defense, and/or before the accelerated momentum of funding, vested interests and technology gets put into place that would make this impossible to stop.  Plans are in motion to convene a U.N. Space Preservation Treaty Conference.

The U.N. Space Preservation Treaty to ban all space-based weapons will:

        *Prohibit the research and development (R&D), testing, manufacturing, production and deployment of space-based weapons and systems, and the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit (i.e. satellites).   This prohibits the introduction of weapons in space and the escalation of war on earth from space.

         *Permit space exploration, R&D, testing, manufacturing, production and deployment of civil commercial and defense activities (including communication, navigation, surveillance, reconnaissance, early warning or remote sensing) that is not related to space-based weapons or systems.

         *Transform the war industry into a peaceful, sustainable space industry by removing the mandate to weaponize space.

         *Stimulate a peacetime economy (a new economic stimulus package) with a new marketplace of more jobs and training programs, and more profits and contracts than during any hot or cold wartime, based on the conscious R&D of clean and safe Space Age technology, products and services that will be applied directly to solving urgent problems of human needs, alternative energy, and the environment - thus transforming the war-based economy and industry into a Space Age economy and industry.

         *Build a strong national defense and a global security system based on applying civil, commercial and military/defense related Space Age technology of a non-space-based-weapons nature directed no longer to be used as "force multipliers" to aim weapons but to enhance worldwide communication and information exchanges about issues of concern to all peoples.  This will bring the world’s peoples together to reap the abundance of benefits. Satellite photos will be used to preserve our interconnected environment (eg. to see where the sick waters are so we can clean them up), and to protect the people (eg. see where people have migrated so the troops and all can go to them with food, medicine, and clean water, to educate, to eliminate poverty, and to heal).

         *Apply a new role for the military and military spending, corporations and corporate profits to focus with intention to be in service:  to protect humanity and preserve our environment in the context of a new Space Age Paradigm in which war on earth will become archaic as humans evolve safely, consciously on earth and into space. 

We need to provide the time and place when world leaders will sign and ratify the World Space Preservation Treaty. When the first twenty U.N. Member nations sign and ratify this Treaty it becomes law, and an international (world) cooperative Outer Space Peacekeeping Agency will be established and equipped to monitor outer space and enforce the ban. The same equipment can be applied to verify agreements including the reduction and elimination of missiles (thus eliminating the need for “missile defense’), nuclear weapons, and other dangerous and polluting technology on our Earth. 

More than 3300 NGO and peace movement leaders and activists have signed a Petition for a U.N. Space Preservation Treaty Conference:
VIEW SIGNATURES & SIGN U.N. PETITION:
http://www.peaceinspace.org

For more information, please contact

Institute for Cooperation in Space (ICIS) – North America
3339 West 41 Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6N3E5 CANADA
Tel: 604-733-8134
Fax: 604-733-8135
Email: info@peaceinspace.com
Campaign: http://www.peaceinspace.org
Exopolitics: http://www.exopolitics.com
ICIS: http://www.peaceinspace.com
Alfred Lambremont Webre, JD, MEd

Institute for Cooperation in Space (ICIS) – South America
PO Box 288
Loja, Ecuador
Email: rosin@west.net
http://www.peaceinspace.com
http://www.madretierra1.com
Tel: 011 593 7 2 580687
Dr. Carol Rosin

OFFICIAL SEAL
CANADA
HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATES

PRESENTATION OF PETITION
February 17, 2003

Space Preservation Treaty

Mr. Svend Robinson (Burnaby-Douglas, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of presenting three petitions today.

    The first petition is on the subject of the weaponization of outer space.  It is signed by over 1,200 petitioners from the lower mainland of British Columbia, including Bea Bernhausen of Vancouver, Alfred Webre of the Institute for Cooperation in Space Canada and many of my constituents in Burnaby-Douglas.  The petitioners raise serious concerns about the possibility of an arms race in space, particularly as a result of the American termination of the ABM Treaty.

    They therefore urge the House of Commons to call upon the government to immediately approve, sign and ratify the space preservation treaty and deposit the treaty with the secretary general of the United Nations, as well as to convened a treaty signing conference for the space preservation treaty as Canada has done on the occasions, for example, with the land mines treaty.

U.N. SPACE PRESERVATION TREATY

The States Parties to this Treaty
Reaffirming the importance and urgency of preventing an arms race in outer space and of approving concrete proposals on confidence building which could prevent such an arms race, as set out in United Nations General Assembly Resolutions 56/535 and 55/32 on the prevention of an arms race in outer space,
Recognizing the common interest of all humankind in the exploration and non-weapons use of outer space for peaceful purposes,
Reaffirming the will of all States that the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon, the planets and other celestial bodies, shall be for weapons-free, peaceful purposes and shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interest of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development,
Reaffirming the provisions of articles III and IV of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, Resolution 2222(XXI), annex,
Recalling the obligations of all States to observe the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations regarding the use or threat of use of force in their international relations, including in their space activities,
Reaffirming paragraph 80 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, Resolution S-10/2, in which it was stated that in order to prevent an arms race in space further measures should be taken and appropriate international negotiations held in accordance with the spirit of the Treaty,
Reiterating that the Conference on Disarmament, as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, has the primary role in the negotiation of a multilateral agreement or agreements, as appropriate, on the prevention of an arms race in outer space in all its aspects, as set out in United Nations General Assembly Resolutions 56/535 and 55/32 on the prevention of an arms race in outer space,
Affirming that it is the policy of the State Parties to this Treaty to permanently ban all space-based weapons,

Have agreed as follows:

Article I

PERMANENT BAN ON BASING OF WEAPONS IN SPACE

1.    Each State Party to this Treaty shall:
(1)    Implement a ban on space-based weapons; and
(2)    Implement a ban on the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit; and
(3)    Immediately order the permanent termination of research and development, testing, manufacturing, production, and deployment of all space-based weapons of such State Party.

2.      Each State Party to this Treaty shall immediately work toward supporting other non-signatory State Parties in negotiating, signing, ratifying, and implementing this world agreement banning space-based weapons.

3.      The Secretary General of the United Nations shall submit to the General Assembly of the United Nations within 90 days of the date that three (3) State Parties have signed this Treaty, and every 90 days thereafter, a report on:
1)    The implementation of the permanent ban on space-based weapons required by Section 1 of this Article I; and
2)    Progress toward negotiating, signing, ratifying, and implementing this Treaty as set out in Section 2 of this Article I.

4.    Nothing in this Treaty shall be construed to prohibit the following activities, provided such activities are not related to space-based weapons:
(1)    Space exploration;
(2)    Space research and development;
(3)    Testing, manufacturing or deployment that is not related to space-based weapons or systems; or
(4)    Civil, commercial, or defense activities (including communications, navigation, surveillance, reconnaissance, early warning, or remote sensing) that are not related to space-based weapons or systems.

Article II

1.   Each State Party to this Treaty undertakes not to base in space any object carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons, including weapons of mass destruction, install such space-based objects or weapons on celestial bodies, or station such weapons in outer space in any other manner.  The moon, the planets, and other celestial bodies shall be used by all States Parties to this Treaty exclusively for non-weapons, peaceful purposes. The establishment of weapons-related military bases, installations and fortifications, the testing of any type of weapons and the conduct of military maneuvers on celestial bodies or space-based objects shall be forbidden. 

2.   The use of military personnel for scientific research or for any other non-space-based weapons, peaceful purposes shall not be prohibited. The use of any equipment or facility necessary for peaceful exploration or habitation of the moon, the planets or other celestial bodies, or on objects in space shall also not be prohibited.

Article III

Each State Party to this Treaty undertakes not to assist, encourage or induce any State, group of States, international organization, or other entity or program to engage in activities contrary to the provisions of this Treaty.

Article IV

Each State Party to this Treaty agrees to the establishment, funding, equipping and deployment of an Outer Space Peacekeeping Agency, whose mission is to monitor outer space and enforce the permanent ban of space-based weapons under this Treaty.

Article V

As used in Article I, the terms:

1.    The terms "space" and "outer space" mean all space extending upward from an altitude greater that 110 kilometers above sea level.

2.    The terms "space-based weapon" and "space-based system" mean a device capable of damaging or destroying an object or person (whether in outer space, in the atmosphere, or on earth) by -
(1)    Firing one or more projectiles to collide with that object or person;
(2)    Detonating one or more explosive devices in close proximity to that object or person;
(3)    Directing a source or energy against that object or person; or
(4)    Any other undeveloped means.

Article VI

Each State Party to this Treaty undertakes to take any measures it considers necessary in accordance with its constitutional processes to prohibit and prevent any activity in violation of the provisions of the Treaty anywhere under its jurisdiction or control.

Article VII

1.    The provisions of articles I and II of this Treaty shall apply to all States, regardless of whether such States are signatories to this Treaty.

2.    Any State Party to this Treaty may propose amendments to the Treaty. The text of any proposed amendment shall be submitted to the Depositary who shall promptly circulate it to all States Parties.

3.    An amendment shall enter into force for all States Parties to this Treaty, upon the deposit with the Depositary of instruments of acceptance by a majority of States Parties. Thereafter it shall enter into force for any remaining State Party on the date of deposit of its instrument of acceptance.

Article VIII

This Treaty shall be of unlimited duration.

Article IX

1.  Two years after the entry into force of this Treaty, a conference of the States Parties to the Treaty shall be convened by the Depositary at Geneva, Switzerland. The conference shall review the operation of the Treaty with a view to ensuring that its purposes and provisions are being realized, and shall in particular examine the effectiveness of the provisions of articles I and II in eliminating the dangers of an arms race in space, and of space-based weapons.

2.     At intervals of not less than two years thereafter, a majority of the States Parties to the Treaty may obtain, by submitting a proposal to this effect to the Depositary, the convening of a conference with the same objectives.

3.     If no conference has been convened pursuant to paragraph 2 of this article within ten years following the conclusion of a previous conference, the Depositary shall solicit the views of all States Parties to the Treaty, concerning the convening of such a conference. If one-third or ten of the States Parties, whichever number is less, respond affirmatively, the Depositary shall take immediate steps to convene the conference.

Article X

1.   This Treaty shall be open to all States for signature. Any State which does not sign the Treaty before its entry into force in accordance with paragraph 3 of this article may accede to it at any time.

2.     This Treaty shall be subject to ratification by signatory States. Instruments of ratification or accession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

3.     This Treaty shall enter into force upon the deposit of instruments of ratification by twenty Governments in accordance with paragraph 2 of this article.

4.     For those States whose instruments of ratification or accession are deposited after the entry into force of this Treaty, it shall enter into force on the date of the deposit of their instruments of ratification or accession.

5.     The Depositary shall promptly inform all signatory and acceding States of the date of each signature, the date of deposit of each instrument of ratification or accession and the date of the entry into force of this Treaty and of any amendments thereto, as well as of the receipt of other notices.

6.     This Treaty shall be registered by the Depositary in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Article XI

This Treaty, of which the English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall send certified copies thereof to the Governments of the signatory and acceding States.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto by their respective governments, have signed this Treaty, opened for signature at __________ on the ____day of  __________, two thousand and five.

DONE at _____________, ______________ on ____________, ____, in the year 20__.

__________
SIGN OUR U.N. PETITION TO BAN WEAPONS AND WARFARE IN SPACE
DEMAND A SPACE PRESERVATION TREATY CONFERENCE
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/832338563
VIEW SIGNATURES
Campaign for Cooperation in Space
http://www.peaceinspace.org