Takshashila Discussion Document - How States Negotiated in the UN’s OEWG on Space Threats

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Executive Summary

The UN’s Open-ended Working Group on reducing space threats met in Geneva in May. The discussions highlighted how different states view the challenges of space weaponisation. There are four main areas of contention:

Defining space weapons and space threats: Potential space weapons can have both civilian and military utility, and different states perceive threats from such capabilities differently.

Defining responsible behaviours: Such behaviours must be defined clearly, while breaches must be attributed and assessed based on objective criteria.

Interpreting international law: States differ on whether international humanitarian law (IHL), Law of Armed Conflict (LoAC) apply in outer space.

Separating space security from space sustainability: Some states have argued that space security must not be conflated with space debris mitigation.

The OEWG reflected international divisions, pitting Western states against Russia and China. Western states have placed greater emphasis on non legally-binding measures and responsible behaviour, while China in particular, has sought legally-binding treaties and remains sceptical about the characterisation of ‘responsible behaviour’.