REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, LONDON -- The Indonesian government encourages a fair regulation in the outer space, which is intended to maintain peace, a representative of country's Embassy to Austria in Vienna, Febrian A. Ruddyard, told Antara here on Tuesday.
The law remains important to assure that the equality and sovereignty of all countries have been well protected in the forthcoming development of aeronautics and space technologies, Ruddyard noted.
As a chairman of the 56th session of the "Legal Sub Committee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space" (LSC-UNCOPUOS), Ruddyard stated that several issues, including a clear definition and delimitation in the outer space, have to be further discussed. Another issue which remains a challenge is the regulation on the use of geostationary orbit (GSO), he added.
The geostationary regulation has been Indonesia's major focus, because around 13 percent of the orbital space lies in the country's territory. Therefore, the country's delegation has urged that the law should be in accordance with the Space Treaty of 1967.
The treaty, which was agreed by around 105 countries and become effective since Oct 1967, was the international community's current legal basis to regulate the activity in the outer space. As one of the treaty's member, Indonesia has ratified the agreement and the other conventions, including the Rescue Agreement of 1968, the Liability Convention of 1972, and the Registration Convention of 1976.
Meanwhile in the country's constitutions, the agreements have been ratified into the Law No.21/2013. In several United Nations' forums, Indonesia, G-77 countries, and China have earlier campaigned for demilitarization to maintain peace and stability in the outer space.
The country's commitment for peace and stability has been delivered at the 56th session of the UN's outer space committee in Vienna, Austria. The event, which last until April 7, has been attended by around 200 delegations and observers of UN's outer space body (UNCOPUOS).