WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th July, 2020) The United States hopes that next week's space security dialogue with Russia in Vienna will strengthen bilateral understanding of each other's policies and prevent any potential escalation, Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation Christopher Ford said during a conference call with reporters on Friday.
"We hope this space dialogue coming up next week in Vienna will be an opportunity for the US and Russia to strengthen bilateral understanding of each other's policies and activities in outer space and to advance the development of norms and responsible behavior there in order to avoid miscalculations or misperceptions that could lead to inadvertent escalation," Ford said.
The United States and Russia will hold the meeting for bilateral space security exchange in Vienna on July 27.
Ford said the US delegation would discuss Russian and Chinese activities in space that have drawn concern.
On Thursday, the US Space Command said Russia earlier in July conducted a space-based anti-satellite weapon.
Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, commenting on the claim, said that Washington only accuses Russia of conducting missile tests in order to justify its own plans to deploy weapons in space.
Russia has repeatedly called on the United States to conclude an agreement to prevent the militarization of space, but Washington has rejected Moscow's proposals.
