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