宇宙空間における大量破壊兵器に関する安全保障理事会決議案採決後の山﨑大使による投票理由説明（EOV）
令和6年4月24日
(As delivered)
Thank you, Madam President.
Japan is disappointed by the failure of the Council to adopt draft resolution S/2024/302.
We deeply regret the decision of the Russian Federation to use veto to block the adoption of this historic draft resolution on weapons of mass destruction in outer space.
65 countries co-sponsored today’s draft resolution. I repeat, 65.
Regrettably, one permanent member decided to silence the critical message we wanted to send to the present and future people of the world: outer space must remain a domain of peace, free of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.
For us and for 65 countries all together, it is hard to understand why the Council cannot be united on such a simple but significant commitment.
Japan, with our co-penholder, the United States, worked tirelessly to deliver a consensus among the Council members in a constructive and flexible manner.
We incorporated comments suggested by the Council members as much as possible, particularly those proposed by the two permanent members.
Despite such efforts and five weeks of intense consultations, Russia prevents the result we and 63 other United Nations Member States wanted to achieve.
Adopting this draft resolution would have been a positive and practical contribution to the promotion of peaceful use and exploration of outer space.
If adopted, we could have demonstrated our unity in reaffirming the principle of no placement of any weapons of mass destruction in outer space and in opposing the development of such capabilities.
Let me be clear. Maintaining the peaceful nature of outer space is greatly relevant to the work of the Security Council.
With a single detonation of a nuclear weapon in outer space, a large number of satellites and other critical infrastructure in outer space would be taken down.
The consequences would be catastrophic, and would not be limited to outer space. The repercussions would also affect people’s lives and sustainable development in every region on Earth.
Despite the result today, preventing any nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in outer space must remain our priority, and should be pursued by all UN Member States, including those who blocked today’s draft resolution.
I thank you.
Japan is disappointed by the failure of the Council to adopt draft resolution S/2024/302.
We deeply regret the decision of the Russian Federation to use veto to block the adoption of this historic draft resolution on weapons of mass destruction in outer space.
65 countries co-sponsored today’s draft resolution. I repeat, 65.
Regrettably, one permanent member decided to silence the critical message we wanted to send to the present and future people of the world: outer space must remain a domain of peace, free of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.
For us and for 65 countries all together, it is hard to understand why the Council cannot be united on such a simple but significant commitment.
Japan, with our co-penholder, the United States, worked tirelessly to deliver a consensus among the Council members in a constructive and flexible manner.
We incorporated comments suggested by the Council members as much as possible, particularly those proposed by the two permanent members.
Despite such efforts and five weeks of intense consultations, Russia prevents the result we and 63 other United Nations Member States wanted to achieve.
Adopting this draft resolution would have been a positive and practical contribution to the promotion of peaceful use and exploration of outer space.
If adopted, we could have demonstrated our unity in reaffirming the principle of no placement of any weapons of mass destruction in outer space and in opposing the development of such capabilities.
Let me be clear. Maintaining the peaceful nature of outer space is greatly relevant to the work of the Security Council.
With a single detonation of a nuclear weapon in outer space, a large number of satellites and other critical infrastructure in outer space would be taken down.
The consequences would be catastrophic, and would not be limited to outer space. The repercussions would also affect people’s lives and sustainable development in every region on Earth.
Despite the result today, preventing any nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in outer space must remain our priority, and should be pursued by all UN Member States, including those who blocked today’s draft resolution.
I thank you.