Documentation

Resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly: International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space (selected text).

The General Assembly, Recognizing the common interest of mankind as a whole in furthering the

peaceful use of outer space, Believing that the exploration and use of outer space should be only for the

betterment of mankind and to the benefit of States irrespective of the stage of their economic or scientific development, Desiring to avoid the extension of present national rivalries into this new

field, Recognizing the great importance of international cooperation in the

exploration of outer space being undertaken by the international scientific community, Believing also that the United Nations should promote international

cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space,

1. Establishes a Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, consisting of Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, France, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Sweden, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Arab Republic, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America, whose members will serve for the years 1960 and 1961, and requests the Committee: a) To review, as appropriate, the area of international co-operation, and

to study practical and feasible means for giving effect to programs in the peaceful uses of outer space which could appropriately be undertaken under United Nations auspices, including, inter alia: i) Assistance for the continuation on a permanent basis of the

research on outer space carried on within the framework of the International Geophysical Year;

ii) Organization of the mutual exchange and dissemination of information on outer space research;

iii) Encouragement of national research programs for the study of outer space, and the rendering of all possible assistance and help towards their realization;

(b) To study the nature of legal problems, which may arise from the exploration of outer space;

2. Requests the Committee to submit reports on it activities to the subsequent sessions of the General Assembly.