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A 1967 pact banning deployment of atomic arms successful abstraction did not extremity Russia connected Wednesday from vetoing a U.N. solution that would telephone connected nan world's nations to not deploy weapons of wide demolition successful space. File photograph by Scott Howe/Department of Defense/UPI | License Photo
April 24 (UPI) -- Russia vetoed a U.S.- and Japan-sponsored U.N. resolution, opposing nan deployment of atomic weapons successful space, during a Wednesday ballot among nan United Nations' 15-member information council.
China abstained and 13 personnel nations voted successful favour of nan resolution, but Russia's veto prevented its passage, Politico and Axios reported.
Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's U.N. ambassador, called nan solution "absurd and politicized" while opposing it.
"If you are pursuing nan rules, would you not support a solution that reaffirms them?" U.S. Ambassador to nan United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield asked. "What could you perchance beryllium hiding?"
The solution would person called connected nan world's nations to abstain from creating a space-based atomic arms race, affirming nan 1967 Outer Space Treaty that banned nan deployment of atomic arms aliases different weapons of wide demolition successful Earth's orbit.
The United States and Russia are among nan nation's that signed nan 1967 treaty.
"Placement by a authorities statement of a atomic limb successful orbit would not only break nan Outer Space Treaty but would frighten nan captious communications, scientific, meteorological, agricultural, commercialized and nationalist information services that immoderate and each satellites supply to societies astir nan globe," U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said successful a statement Wednesday.
Sullivan said U.S. officials judge Russia is processing a caller outer tin of carrying a atomic weapon.
"We person heard President [Vladimir] Putin opportunity publically that Russia has nary volition of deploying atomic weapons successful space," Sullivan said. "If that were nan case, Russia would not person vetoed this resolution."
