Over 40 countries urge 24-hour notice before long-range ballistic missile launches

The United States and 40 other countries are calling for governments to provide at least 24 hours’ notice before launching long-range ballistic missiles or space rockets, arguing that advance warning would reduce the risk of miscalculation and unintended escalation.

A joint statement issued Tuesday at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva came hours before North Korea fired a ballistic missile off its eastern coast.

“We call on all relevant countries to commit to participate in arrangements for providing advance notification of launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and space launch vehicles (SLVs) to affected states. One hundred and forty-five countries participate in one such mechanism, the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC),” the joint statement by the U.S., the UK, Germany, Japan, France, Türkiye, South Korea and others says.

“Recent missile testing activity in the Pacific area did not follow the standard practices adopted by most states to notify and deconflict ICBM, SLBM, and SLV launches. Conducting nuclear-capable ballistic missile tests without sufficient advance notice and detail is dangerous and disrupts the peace and security of relevant nations in proximity to these tests. It increases the risk of miscalculation, undermines global stability and security, and is incompatible with the responsibilities that come with possessing long-range missile capabilities. We call on all countries, particularly nuclear-weapon States, that launch ICBMs, SLBMs, and SLVs to provide notification of such launches no less than 24 hours in advance. Notifications should include such information as the generic class of the ballistic missile or SLV, the planned launch notification window, the launch area, and the planned direction. Countries should also provide clear notices for airmen and mariners consistent with international standards to reduce risk, including in expected impact or landing areas. Regularized, transparent notification arrangements do not constrain any nation’s military development or operational needs. Instead, they reduce the risk of miscalculation, build confidence, and reflect a shared commitment to security. We remain committed to working with all countries to strengthen the implementation of and expand notification frameworks and to hold accountable any state whose actions fall short of its responsibilities.”

The text of the statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Montenegro, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.