Space Security Policy Implementation: Building Confidence and Trust

1. Informal segmentdevoted to engagementbetweenMemberStates and thebroaderouterspacesecuritypolicycommunityExchange withrepresentatives of nationalspaceagenciesUnitedNations Office forDisarmamentAffairsFriday, 1 February2019, New York, USAProf. Rosa María Ramírez de ArellanoDeputy General Director of International Affairs and Space SecurityMexicanSpace Agency

2. Discussion: • Specificpolicy to implement TCBM of theAEM. • Mechanismsto furtherimplementonconfidence-buildingamongspaceagencies. • Mechanisms to increase trust and transparency in developing dual use technologies.

3. Specificpolicy to implement TCBM of theAEM • Mexicodeemsimportant and urgent to preventanarmsrace in outerspace, basedonitsattachment to itscommitment to thepreservation of outerspaceforexclusivelypeacefulpurposes, as well as in accordancewiththesearchfor general and complete disarmamentunderstrictinternational control. • Mexicowillcontinuepushingfor no actor to deployweapons in outerspace, underanycircumstances. Likewise, Mexicoreiteratesthat, in a particular way, all nuclear weaponsmust be prohibited and eliminatedregardless of theirclassorlocation. • In thiscontext, Mexicosupportsthegeneration of new internationalagreementsonthesubjectthatfoster trust to a saferworld. In thissense, Mexicosupportsthenegotiation of a legallybindinginstrumentonthesubject.

4. Specificpolicy to implement TCBM of theAEM • Likewise, Mexico has flaggedthatthedeclaration of a country orseveralcountries in thesense of "notbeingthefirst" to place weapons in outerspace, shouldnot be understood at no time as a tacitendorsementoracceptance of anallegedright to place weapons in space, or to launchthemfromEarthifanotherStateisthefirst to do so, or in response to anattack. Thissituationcould de facto generateanarmsrace in outerspacesinceitcould be used as an excuse to justifythepossibledeployment of weapons in outerspace, to whichMexicoclearlyopposes. • As part of thepolicy of theMexicanGovernment to whichtheMexicanSpace Agency (AEM) adheres, theinformationrequested has to be provided in time and available in a transparentmanner. In fact, MexicocreatedtheNationalInstitute of Access to Information (INAI, foritsacronym in Spanish), whichsafeguardssensitive personal data and at thesame time, watchforgovernment agencies to providetheinformationrequested.

5. Specificpolicy to implement TCBM of theAEM • In spacematters, westartfromthepremisethatMexicois a developing country in thesubject and to date, in compliancewiththeRegistrationAgreement and theGuidelines in thisregard, meet in time and formtheregistration of spaceobjects. ItisessentialthatallStatesParties do so and providereliableinformation, which can be translatedinto a securitymeasure.

6. Mechanisms to furtherimplementonconfidence-buildingamongspaceagencies • In the case of Mexico, confidence and credibilitygeneratedbythe AEM amongother agencies and relatedentities has beenbuiltthroughoutthese 7 years of itscreation, onthebasis of cooperation, whichisrecognized as a key pillar fortheinteractionamongmembers of theinternationalspacecommunity. • Our country implementscooperation at alllevels: bilateral, regional, multilateral and global, throughdifferentmechanisms. Forthe AEM, themainmechanismforinstitutionalizing bilateral cooperationisthroughcollaborationagreements. • Theseagreementsbecomespecific as thepartiesadvance in theidentification of projects of mutual interest, whereareasrangingfromcapacitybuilding to technology transfer can be involved. Theconfidencemeasuresforexample in thelatter, whichisconsideredone of themostcomplexareas of cooperationdue to theprocessesinvolvedsuch as: access, application, control and adaptation of know-how to createinnovativetechnology, mainlydue to issues of safeguarding, security and intellectualproperty, can be effectiveifitthecooperationismutually beneficial, notadvantageous, withanaffordablefinancialcost and onthebasis of a peaceful use of space.

7. Mechanisms to furtherimplementonconfidence-buildingamongspaceagencies • Anotheraspect in whichspace agencies gainconfidence in theiractivitiesfromabroad and amongthem, ishow and to whatextentthey use bestpractices to help in thecreation of protocolsorpublicpoliciesthatreflectthecommitment of theirgovernments to theagreementsonspacemattersthattheysign and ratify, suchisthe case of theUnitedNationsOuterSpaceTreaties (OuterSpaceTreaty; AgreementontheRescue and Return of Astronauts and Return of Objects; Conventionon International Liability, ConventiononRegistration and the Moon Agreement). • Finally, thecontributionsmade to and in forumsonspacematters, such as COPUOS, can alsocount as a measure of transparency and confidence in theactivities of a SpaceAgency. MemberStates, throughtheirrepresentations, delegations and space agencies, participate in diversetopics of the COPUOS agenda, which converge on a particular point: guaranteethe safety and sustainability of spaceactivities to meet global challenges.

8. Mechanisms to furtherimplementonconfidence-buildingamongspaceagencies • Giventhesechallenges, theneed as aninternationalcommunity of keepingfosteringguidelinesonlong-termsustainability of spaceactivitiesarises, whichaims at supportingthepreparation of national and internationalsecuritypractices and frameworks to carryoutspaceactivities, whileofferingtheflexibility to adaptsuchframeworks and practices to specificnationalcircumstances

9. Mechanisms to increase trust and transparency in developing dual use technologies • Mexicoisanimportantplayerwhenit comes to exportation of high-techgoods, activitythatcontributes to improvingthecountry'scompetitiveness and investments in sectorssuch as: aeronautics, electronics, IT, machinery and equipment, telecommunications and automotiveindustry, to name a few; and, to maintainthislevel, theapplication of effectiveexportcontrolsisrequired. • To thisend, in June 2011 the "Agreementbywhichtheexport of conventionalweapons, itsparts and components, dual-use goods, software and technologies susceptible to diversionfor manufacture and proliferation of conventional and massdestructionweaponsissubject to therequirement of prior permissionbytheMinistry of Economy" waspublished in theOfficialGazette of theFederationwhich:

10. Mechanisms to increase trust and transparency in developing dual use technologies • Incorporatesto theMexicanregulationtheWassenaarArrangementlists, in such a waythattheexport of thegoodsmentioned in Annex I "Dual-use goods ", Annex II " MunitionsList" and Annex III "Software and technology" do require prior permission (license). • Createsthe "Committeefor Dual-Use Goods, Software and Technologies Export Control", in charge of analyzingrequestsfor prior exportpermission and to expressitsopinionontheconvenience of itsissuance. TheCommitteeisheadedbytheMinistry of Economy and itsmainobjectiveis to harmonizetheefforts of thedifferentparticipating agencies such as theNationalMinistry of Defense (SEDENA), the Federal CommissionfortheProtectionagainstSanitaryRisks (COFEPRIS), theResearch and National Security Center (CISEN), theNationalCommissionfor Nuclear Safety and Safeguards (CNSNS), the Interministerial Commissionforthe Control and Process of Pesticides, Fertilizers and ChemicalSubstances (CICOPLAFEST) and theNationalServiceforHealth, Safety and AgriculturalQuality (SENSICA), amongothers, forthecreation of a ¨ Materials and Dual-Use Goods Control Register¨.

11. Mechanisms to increase trust and transparency in developing dual use technologies • Withthis, Mexicoreaffirmsitscommitment to internationalsecurity and stability as itentersthe era of production of high-techgoods, avoidingitsdiversion to thecreation of massdestructionweapons. • Bothinternally and internationally, Mexico has maintainedthispeacefulstancetoward non-militarization and, in this case, towards no weaponizationorarmsrace in outerspace. • Mexico, likeotheremergingcountries, observes and, at thesame time, contributes to thedevelopment of internationaldiscussions and to theimplementation of mechanismsthat lead to effective global participation in theissue of non-proliferation of massdestructionweapons.

12. Mechanisms to increase trust and transparency in developing dual use technologies • Thus, thepromotion of measures to encourage trust and transparency in theregulation of dual technologydoesnotenterintoconflictwiththecreation of bindinginstrumentsforthispurpose, sincethesemeasurescouldtakeadvantage of their non-bindingnature to coveraspectsthathavenotyetbecomemandatory, appealing to internationalcommitment and responsibility to ensuresustainability of theplanet and theouterspaceenvironment. Somemechanisms to takeintoaccountifwhatisdesiredis to increasetheireffectivenessmay be: • To improvethequality and quantity of informationavailableregardingthe use of dual technology; • To developfriendlyexport control frameworks so that, whilefacilitatingforeigntradeoperations, anefficient control of goodswhichpresent a risk of beingdivertedforproliferationpurposesismaintained; • To analyzebestinternationalpractices in theregulation of dual-use goodsforadoption in nationalplansorstrategies;

13. Mechanisms to increase trust and transparency in developing dual use technologies • In the case of non-bindingmeasuresorguidelines, each country will decide underwhatconditionsitauthorizesitstransfers and in whattermsthese are done, in accordancewithitsinternalpolicies, basedonrespectfortheright to itsowndefense; however, itmust be takenintoaccountthatouterspaceis a good of common use, where a unilateral decisionwouldresult in a global consequence, sincetheeffects of the use of weapons in space do notrecognizebordersorsecuritysystems; • To workonthedisparity in thedevelopment of spacepotentialbetweenemergingcountries and thegreatpowers, whentheselastwillsimplynotrenouncethisdevelopment; • To contribute in a neutral and transparentmanner to thedecisionmakingonthemaininstitutional and procedural aspectswithinthechains of control; • To fostermechanismsforinformationexchange, verification and observation.

14. GRACIAS THANK YOU