Mr. R. W. Brownasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have signed and ratified the treaty on the principles governing the activities of States in the exploration and use of outer space including the moon and other celestial bodies; which countries have signed but not ratified the treaty; and which countries have 195W given official notification of their intention of signing the treaty.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsThe following states have deposited in the archives of the Governments of the United Kingdom, Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics or the United States of America their instruments of ratification or accession to the Treaty on the Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies;
Argentine, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Libya, Malagasy Republic, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Rumania, San Marino, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom, United Arab Republic, United States of America, Upper Volta.
The following states have signed the Treaty in London, Moscow or Washington but have not ratified it:
Afghanistan, Belgium, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Ceylon, Chile, Columbia, Congo (Kinshasa), Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Ecuador El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Gambia, Germany: Federal Republic, Greece, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Ghana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Somali, Switzerland, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia.
No other countries have given official notification to Her Majesty's Government of their intention of signing this Treaty.
Mr. R. W. Brownasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in view of the fact that the development of the fractional orbital bombardment system by the Soviet Union is contrary to Article IX of the treaty on the principles governing the activity of 196W states in the exploration and use of outer space, whether Her Majesty's Government will propose at the United Nations' Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space that appropriate international consultation should take place on this activity by the Soviet Union.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsNo. It is the view of Her Majesty's Government that the development of a fractional orbital bombardment system, however much we may deplore it, does not infringe the Outer Space Treaty.