Russia calls on countries around the world to work out a legally binding agreement to prevent a forceful confrontation in space. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said this in a video message on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight into space, posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry website.
"We consistently assume that only guaranteed prevention of an arms race in space will make it possible to use it for peaceful purposes, for the benefit of all mankind. We call for the start of negotiations on an international legally binding instrument prohibiting the deployment of any weapons there and the use or threat of force. We propose that the relevant Russian-Chinese draft treaty submitted to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva in 2014 be taken as the basis," Lavrov said.
According to him, Russia's initiative to have countries make a political commitment not to be the first to place weapons in space is intended to stabilize the situation while such a multilateral document is being developed. The head of the Foreign Ministry pointed out that this initiative became international and that three dozen states have already joined it. "We are convinced that constructive cooperation in the space sphere should remain among the key directions of the unifying international agenda. Over the past decades Russia, as a leader in space exploration, has assisted a number of states in launching cosmonauts into orbit. In the UN Committee on Outer Space, we have been following a consistent policy to ensure equal access of the states to outer space and its preservation for future generations", concluded the Minister.
Gagarin's feat
The feat of Yuri Gagarin, who first circled the Earth in a manned spaceship, opened a new era in history and made an invaluable contribution to the development of mankind, said Lavrov.
"The significance of this breakthrough into near-Earth space cannot be overestimated - the launch of the Vostok spacecraft ushered in a new era in the centuries-old annals of civilization. The feat of the great compatriot made a colossal contribution to the progressive development of mankind, confirmed the ability of our people to effectively solve the most complex and responsible tasks," said the head of the Russian diplomatic mission.
He stressed that Gagarin continues to serve as an example of heroism and dedication to billions of people around the world, inspiring them "to overcome any obstacles in achieving the most ambitious and noble goals. According to the minister, this is confirmed by the decision of the UN General Assembly to proclaim April 12 as the International Day of Human Space Flight, adopted in 2011 on the initiative of Russia.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia is doing everything necessary to perpetuate the memory of Gagarin. The TASS photo exhibition "Messenger of Peace" devoted to the role of the first cosmonaut in creating an atmosphere of friendship, trust and mutual understanding between countries and peoples has been opened in the main building of the Foreign Ministry on Smolenskaya Square," Lavrov said. He added that Russian foreign missions around the world are holding a set of commemorative events to mark the 60th anniversary of the first human space flight.
"We will continue working like this to preserve the connection of time and continuity of generations and to promote the understanding of the everlasting significance of the key historical events not only for our people but for the whole world," concluded the head of the RF Foreign Ministry.
On April 12, the world celebrates the Day of Cosmonautics. In 2021 it will be 60 years since the rocket Vostok put into orbit the spaceship Vostok-1, carrying the Soviet cosmonaut Gagarin. He became the first man to go into space. Vostok 1 completed one orbit around the Earth and on the same day, Yuri Gagarin returned to Earth. He ejected from the descent vehicle of the spacecraft and landed by parachute near the village of Smelovka, Saratov region.
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Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS