Russia vetoed a resolution authored by the United States and Japan at the United Nations (UN) Security Council this Wednesday (24/04), which proposed a ban on the use of nuclear weapons in space. The project was presented amid US allegations that Moscow was trying to develop a device capable of destroying satellites.
The text received 13 votes in favor, one abstention from China and, finally, the Russian veto.
The resolution spoke of “strengthening and supporting the global non-proliferation regime, including in extra-atmospheric space, and reaffirming the shared objective of maintaining it for peaceful purposes”. Outer Space – including all permanent members of the Security Council – “not to place in Earth orbit any object that carries nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction”.
Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, called the US-Japan project a “dirty spectacle” and a “cynical ploy.”
According to Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, the project presented by Washington was a “dirty spectacle” and a “cynical maneuver”. Regarding the rejection, he explained that the United States enters into a contradiction when it avoids mentioning its responsibility in the atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in 1945, and talks about their tragic consequences.
“By the way, my American colleague told us about his trip to Japan and his visit to Nagasaki and the terrible consequences of the nuclear bombing. May I ask if you could clarify for us who carried out this nuclear bombing for the only time in the history of humanity?”, stated the Russian diplomat during the meeting.
Nebenzia also raised the same question to the representative of Japan, pointing out that, at no point, did the Asian country mention the nation responsible for the tragic episode in its cities.
For the Russian diplomat, the presentation of the US-Japan project aims to defame Moscow and, contrary to his speech, continue with plans for the militarization of space.
“I would like to reiterate for the record that we are ready to conclude tomorrow a legally binding international agreement containing a total ban on the deployment of any type of weapons in outer space, not just weapons of mass destruction, which are already prohibited by the Space Treaty. Exterior”, concluded Nebenzia.
With Loop It is
Telesur
The article is in Portuguese
