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MSMUN XXXV
Special, Political, and De-colonization Committee
Background InformationChair: Emily Perry
Topic 1: Outer Space Conflict
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into
outer space which opened up a frontier previously unconsidered and unaddressed by the United
Nations. Following the launch of Sputnik 1, the General Assembly established the UN Office for
Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), in addition to several treaties in order to promote international
cooperation and the peaceful use of space. The cornerstone of these treaties is the Outer Space
Treaty of 1967 which recognizes the freedom of all countries to explore and use space for peace-
ful purposes, as well as prohibit the appropriation of space and placement of weapons in space.
Other adopted treaties include the Rescue Agreement of 1968 which requires countries to assist
astronauts in times of emergency, the Liability Convention of 1972 which establishes measures
of liability for damage caused by space objects, the Registration Convention of 1972 which re-
quires countries to register all objects launched into space with the UN, and the Moon Agree-
ment of 1979 which further specifies the restrictions of non-appropriation set on the moon and
other celestial bodies in the Outer Space Treaty.
As of 2015, ten countries have the capability to launch objects into orbit and over 60
countries control approximately 1,100 satellites. Peoples everyday lives are becoming increas-
ingly dependent on space. Phones calls, the internet, and banking transactions all rely on satellite
signals. In addition to being used for civilian purposes, satellites are also used for military pur-
poses, such as gathering intelligence and monitoring for ballistic missiles. This dual purpose
complicates the status of satellites in the Outer Space Treaty. It also makes them easy targets for
interference. Common types of interference include jamming, hacking and launching of anti-
satellite weapons (ASAT). In 2014, hackers from China gained access into the U.S. National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in an effort to compromise information re-
lated to disaster planning, aviation, and more coming from satellites. Iran has also partaken in cy-
ber attacks on U.S. commercial and military space operating systems. Moreover, China’s ASAT
development program has been highly active in recent years with six missile tests since 2005. Al-
though the launches did not interfere with satellites, they were done without prior warning.
Launching satellites and ASATs also contribute to the long term problem of space debris.
Currently, there are approximately 22,000 items in space bigger than a softball. These objects
can travel as fast as 18 thousand miles per hour and cause great damage to manned and un-
manned space crafts which result in more debris in the process. In January 2007, during one of
China’s aforementioned ASAT tests, its outdated Fengyun-1C weather satellite increased the
amount of space debris in the lower earth orbit by 40 percent. If this increase in space debris con-
tinues, it could render parts of space unnavigable. In addition to the expense and international co-
operation needed to remove space debris, there are currently no internationally accepted means
for removing it. The U.S. currently mitigates the threat of space debris through the Strategic
Command’s Joint Space Operations Center (JSPOC) which detects, tracks, and identifies poten-
tially dangerous space debris and then warns commercial space operators if their satellites are in
danger. The JSPOC also shares this information with the international community.
One of the most recent attempts at reforming international space law came in 2008 when
the European Union (EU) published its draft Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities which
established policies and procedures to minimize threats to to other states exploration and use of
outer space. It is based on three principles: the freedom of the access to space for peaceful pur-
poses, the preservation of space objects in orbit, and respect for the defense interests of countries.
Currently, the code has not been passed due to reservations by several countries including the
United States, China and Russia. While the U.S. has reservations regarding limitations the code
places on the military’s use of space, China and Russia has reservations regarding their lack of
consultation in its development. As a result, China and Russia have proposed an alternative
legally binding treaty that outlaws the weaponization of space.
Questions to Consider:
1. Does your country have the ability to launch items into orbit, or is developing that abil-
ity?
2. Does your country support the weaponization of space or not?
3. How can the international community decrease the amount of debris in space?
Sources:
http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/aboutus/history/index.html
http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/aboutus/roles-responsibilities.html
http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/aboutus/history/treaties.html
http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/timeline/index.html
http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/benefits-of-space/international-peace-and-security.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34324443
http://www.cfr.org/space/code-conduct-outer-space/p26556
http://www.cfr.org/space/dangerous-space-incidents/p32790
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/americas/2015-01-07/space-wars
Topic 2: Water Availability and Conflict
Water is a basic human right still denied to people throughout the world for many rea-
sons. According to UN Water, one in nine people do not have access to improved sources of wa-
ter and one in three lacks improved sanitation. The Untied Nations still has a long way to go in
ensuring access to sanitation and drinking water for all.
Water scarcity, especially in rural areas, is a major factor prohibiting universal access to
clean water. Approximately 47 percent of the world’s population lives in rural areas without sus-
tainable water sources, or the infrastructure necessary to transport and sanitize water for con-
sumption. According to UN Water, by 2025 an estimated 1,800 million people will be living in
countries or regions with absolute water scarcity. Transboundary waters, rivers crossing national
boundaries, are another issue that affect water availability. According to UN Water, 148 coun-
tries have one or more transboundary river basins. Conflict often arises when nations dam trans-
boundary waters in order to retain more water within their own national boundaries, resulting in
reduced water availability for nations sharing the transboundary waters. Although these situa-
tions can lead to conflict, they can also lead to water sharing and transnational cooperation. Ac-
cording to UN Water, roughly 450 agreements on international waters were signed between 1820
and 2007. Despite this, these agreements still have their weaknesses including feasible monitor-
ing provisions, enforcement measures, and flexible water allocations. A final problem barring
universal water availability is pollution. As populations continue to grow and countries industri-
alize, pollution is becoming an ever increasing issue. Currently, the most widespread water qual-
ity problem worldwide is eutrophication, the result of high amounts of chemical nutrients,
namely phosphorus and nitrogen, which pollutes the water. This is the result of agricultural, in-
dustrial, and atmospheric pollution. Although polluted waters can be cleaned, it is often a slow
and expensive process that many countries cannot afford. Current rules and regulations regarding
water pollution should perhaps be reassessed, as well as current methods of enforcement by na-
tions.
Questions to consider:
1. Does your country have access to clean drinking water?
2. Does your country share transboundary waters? If so, did they cause conflict and was it
resolved?
3. How can countries promote water sharing and cooperation?
Sources:
http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/water/
http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/water_cooperation.shtml
http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml
http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/quality.shtml
http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/get-involved/campaign-materials/water-fact-
sheets/en/
Topic 3: Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
The current, and ongoing, conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in the late
1980s when the people of the Nagorno-Karabakh declared their independence from Azerbaijan
with the intention of joining the Republic of Armenia. At the time of this declaration, around
sixty-five percent of the people in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic were ethnically Armenian,
and the push for independence was both instigated and supported by Armenia.
The Armenian military supported the people of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, and
eventually, the Russian (then Soviet) military aided the Armenians in many offenses that resulted
in Armenian control of seven additional Azerbaijani districts as well as Nagorno-Karabakh. This
conflict was halted by a ceasefire in 1994. Peace talks were largely unsuccessful due to the Ar-
menian claim that Soviet borders should remain intact. Also, peace talks were hindered by Azer-
baijani refusal to grant Nagorno-Karabakh independence to join Armenia, simply allowing it the
highest ranking of independence within Azerbaijan.
In the late 1990s, many Azerbaijanis began claiming the Armenians committed acts of
genocide in an attempt to rid all of Nagorno-Karabakh of ethnic Azerbaijanis, using the town of
Khojaly as an example; the town was destroyed overnight, over seven hundred civilians were
killed and many more forcibly deported.
Currently, there are ongoing border clashes and the possibility of a full-scale conflict is
not to be ignored. Both countries currently have strong incentives to take military action within
the next few years. The power balance within this conflict is shifting in the way of Azerbaijan,
and the Azerbaijani military has spent tens of billions of dollars on a large arms buildup since the
mid 2000s. In addition, Azerbaijan has acquired several drones and an impressive stock of un-
manned military technology from Israel due to their generally friendly relationship.
Armenia may be at a slight disadvantage in equipment but more than makes up for that
by holding strategic and very defensible terrain. In addition, Armenia and Russia refuse to say
whether or not Armenia has acquired ballistic missile technology from Russia in recent years.
However, Armenia currently controls all resources and roads within the ‘enclave,’ making an
Azerbaijani offensive difficult due to the mountainous terrain they would have to conquer.
There has been much attempted mediation throughout this conflict, but the likelihood of
either state compromising on this issue is slight. However, mediators from the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe warned in early December, 2015, that “the status quo has be-
come unsustainable.”
In late December, 2015, Armenia claimed the ceasefire was no longer in effect and re-
ferred to border skirmishes in Nagorno-Karabakh as “war.” The last United Nations action oc-
curred in 2008 when resolution 62/243 was adopted by the General Assembly, calling for the re-
moval of Armenian forces from the Azerbaijani territory. The United States and Russia both
voted against this resolution, and one hundred nations abstained from the vote. Many abstained
or voted against this action because the resolution was thought to not take into account much of
the history between the two nations or the past pace accords, especially those involving the Orga-
nization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Questions to consider:
1. Has your country experienced a similar ethnic conflict? If so, has it been resolved?
2. Why have previous negotiations, ceasefires, and resolutions regarding the conflict failed?
Sources:
http://www.nationalinterest.org/feature/face-the-coming-war-between-armenia-azerbaijan-
12585?page=2
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/10/azerbaijan-shells-nagorno-karabakh
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/12/armenia-accuses-azerbaijan-war-
151222134855846.html
http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/62/243