Cablegate: Usg Proposed Un Copuos Stsc Space Debris

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001627

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPA AORC UNGA
SUBJECT: USG PROPOSED UN COPUOS STSC SPACE DEBRIS
MITIGATION GUIDELINES

REF: SECSTATE 90961

1. ESTH Counselor discussed proposed guidelines transmitted
in reftel with Doug Altworth of the Science and Technology
Division of International Trade Canada. Altworth said that
the Canadian Government is still reviewing the proposed
guidelines and has not yet had consultations with industry
contacts. With that caveat, he told ESTH Counselor that the
GOC would be supportive of the work that had been done by the
U.S. He noted that the GOC would have a number of
suggestions to make at the meeting to improve the guidelines,
such as including launches in the category of activities that
could create debris and refining the definition of long-lived
debris. But he characterized these issues as "nibbling at
the edges" rather than any fundamental problem with the draft.

2. One issue that is important to the GOC, according to
Altworth, is the timetable for approval and adoption of the
guidelines. He said the GOC is not prepared to support
approval of the guidelines at the upcoming COPUOS meeting,
due to the need for further industry consultations.

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DICKSON

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