COPUOS - Canadian reaction to USG approach on Space

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000435

SIPDIS

STATE OES/SAT, IO/UNP, WHA/CAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPA CA UNPUOS UNGA
SUBJECT: COPUOS - Canadian reaction to USG approach on Space
Debris

Ref: SECSTATE 18202


1. ESTH Counselor and Specialist met on February 9 with
Danielle Ayotte, Director and Dave Church, Senior
International Advisor, with the Science and Technology
Division of International Trade Canada (ITCan) to discuss
the USG approach outlined in reftel. We had provided the
USG draft guidelines to Ayotte and Church at ITCan, as well
as to the Canadian Space Agency, on February 3.


2. Ayotte and Church told us that the Canadian interagency
review of the USG proposal is not yet complete, and that the
review is concurrent with, and being influenced somewhat by,
a related key question for Canada, i.e., should Canada join
as a member of the Inter-Agency Debris Coordinating
Committee (IADC).


3. Notwithstanding that the GoC review is not complete,
Ayotte and Church were able to tell us that the GoC is
generally favorably disposed toward the approach offered by
the USG, with one significant difference.


4. Whereas the USG approach clearly proposes that the Space
Debris Mitigation Guidelines "remain voluntary and not be
legally binding under international law", the GoC position,
according to Ayotte and Church is likely to favor a "soft
law" approach. Church described "soft law" as being firm
guidelines to which parties formally commit to following,
perhaps by signing a good faith code of conduct or covenant,
but which is nonetheless not legally binding nor
enforceable. Church characterized the "soft law" approach
as being about halfway on the spectrum between voluntary
agreements and legally binding agreements.


5. Post will follow up with Ayotte and Church before the
STSC meeting February 21 in order to provide any additional
GoC comments on USG proposal.

Cellucci