CSTO wants to prevent arms race in space

MOSCOW, October 26 /TASS/. Countries members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) share the international community’s concern that the arms race can probably spread into outer space, the CSTO countries said in a joint statement supporting the Draft Treaty on Prevention of Deployment of Weapons in Outer Space and Prohibition of the Threat and Use of Force. The statement, the text of which was published at the Russian Foreign Ministry website on Monday, had been released at the first Committee of the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly. "We remain committed to the goal of preserving space free from nuclear weapons and ensuring its use exclusively for peaceful purposes. We believe that the only way to solve this problem is to conclude a legally binding document," the CSTO countries said adding that the Draft Treaty on Prevention of Deployment of Weapons in Outer Space and Prohibition of the Threat and Use of Force against space facilities. Russia and China submitted the document’s updated version to the Disarmament Conference in June 2014. "We are calling on all countries to join efforts to begin negotiations on the document at the Disarmament Conference as early as possible," the CSTO members said in the statement. The Collective Security Treaty Organization comprises six countries: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. Read more