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BEIJING (China): Pakistan has enhanced its cooperation with the regional countries in the recent years to develop space technology.

Seven countries, Pakistan, China, Thailand, Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Bangladesh and Iran, launched a program in 1994 to develop a multi-mission small satellite.

Chinese sources say that the Satellite is expected to be sent into space in 2005. It will be used to observe the earth and for telecommunications.

APSCO

Pakistan, China and Thailand initiated multilateral cooperation in 1992 in space technology and applications in the Asia-Pacific Region, and substantial break through have been made in the past decade in the bid to set up Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO).

Representatives from 14 nations and a United Nations organization gathered in Beijing recently to discuss the formation of the proposed APSCO, which is being designed to promote the peaceful use of space and space applications in the Asia-Pacific region.

Participants

Among those attended the Second Meeting of the Drafting Group on the APSCO Convention were representatives from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Iran, Malaysia, Mongolia, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, Chile and the UN Economic and Social Council.

Brazil and some countries outside the Asia-Pacific Region came as observers, and it was agreed that the proposed APSCO would be based in Beijing.

Chinese Support

Addressing the ceremony, Luan Enjie, director of the China National Space Administration, said the Chinese government will, as always, support the establishment of the organization at an earlier date, make due contributions and facilitate its work in various aspects in the early years of its founding.

The Chinese government will continue strengthening its space exchange and cooperation with other countries under the principle of equality and mutual benefit, noted the director. "We are willing to join hands with people of all nations to make due contribution to the peaceful exploration and uses of space resources for the progress and common development of humankind," he added.

Luo Ge, director of the Foreign Affairs Department of the administration and Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Multilateral Cooperation in Space Technology and Applications, said that countries interested in joining the proposed organization intend to make use of space technology in environmental protection and disaster reduction, resources exploration, construction, telecommunications and distance education.

Alexander Lim, an official with the Department of Sciences and Technology of the Philippines, said his country hopes that multilateral cooperation through the planned space body will help the country exploit natural resources and disaster reduction using space technology.