Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 29
Russia emulated the US in not criticising India’s test of anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) and sought its backing for a legally binding agreement to bar weaponisation in outer space. Russia pinned the blame for the test on the US which, it said, had undermined the entire architecture of international security and strategic stability.
Both Russia and the US are in no position to criticise India for the test since they have also conducted similar tests in the past. Moreover, unlike the case of nuclear weapons, there is no a cartel of five permanent members of the UNSC who have conducted tests and then framed laws such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to keep out newcomers.
Yet there has been a vein of disapproval in both the statements. The US had expressed concern over the debris affecting new launches as well as satellites in the low orbit. Russia too coated its grudging acceptance by highlighting the “non-directedness” of this test against any specific country as well as New Delhi’s reassurance of the continuity of its foreign policy to prevent the deployment of weapons in outer space.
Russia said it intends to continue to make every necessary effort to prevent an arms race in outer space through a multilateral legally binding instrument for which it had sought Indian backing.
At the same time, Russia said India was forced to conduct the test because of the substantially degraded situation in the field of arms control due to the “destructive actions of the US”, which makes other states “think about improving their own equal potentials in the interests of strengthening their national security.”
Urges US to take responsible stand
Russia urged the US to take a responsible stand and prevent an arms race from unfolding in various regions of the world. “It is important to assist the responsible states in maintaining an adequate level of international security and stability,” said the Russian statement.
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2FKi65k
via Today’s News Headlines
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