Unofficial Transcript
Germany
28 June 2007

Thank you very much Mr. Chairman for allowing me the floor again.  I have the pleasure to provide from the EU Presidency the following information.  Under the German EU Presidency initiative, a workshop on security and arms control in space and the role of the EU was held on the 22nd of June in Berlin. 

The seminar was the first of its kind and covered a broad range of issues.  Some discussions of the workshops have been summarized by the organizers along the following lines: It is obvious that dependence on assets in outer space together with a number of users is increasing. Thus new attention must be given to the security in outer space.  However unfortunately this has not been the case.  The security of space is in the interest of all states and should be considered by the entire international community due to the threat of increasing space debris endangering space assets.   The complex nature of the issue of outer space security mitigates a partial or complete compartmental approach—instead a holistic approach is called for.  Of particular relevance in this regard is the threat to space security which is apparent in a number of different ways and different levels through civil applications as well as military ones—the dual-use characteristics of civil and military technologies and assets.  Also space situational awareness systems have the same character, therefore when addressing space security it is often impossible to make a distinction between the military and the civil approaches. 

The complexity of the subject matter not only has implications for how, but also where, is the appropriate forum for these issues to be addressed.  Unfortunately there is a lack of coordination between the relevant forums today and thus there is a lack of communication between the CD and COPIUS and other forums that need to be rectified.  Germany will provide these and more specific input once the relevant work in the CD on this issue will be continued in a substantive manor. 

Thank you very much Mr. Chairman.