41 Countries Demand 24-Hour Notice for Missile Launches

Forty-one countries led by the United States demanded on Tuesday that governments provide at least 24 hours advance notice before launching long-range ballistic missiles or space rockets, a move framed as crucial to reducing the risk of miscalculation and unintended escalation in the Pacific region. The joint statement was issued at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva just hours before North Korea fired a ballistic missile off its eastern coast. It comes approximately one month after China conducted a test of a nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile in the South Pacific.

The group of nations, including Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the United Kingdom, called for standardized notification procedures. These procedures should include information on the generic class of missile or rocket, the planned launch window, the launch area, and the intended flight direction. The statement also urged governments to issue clear warnings for aircraft and ships near potential impact areas. The countries argued that such transparent measures would not constrain military development or operational needs but would instead build confidence and reflect a shared commitment to...