Remarks at the Signing of the Treaty on Outer Space, January 27, 1967

Note: The President spoke at 5:15 p.m. in the East Room at the White House. In his opening words he referred to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, and Chief Justice Earl Warren. In his remarks following the President's, Secretary Rusk reviewed the major steps taken since the Soviet Union launched its first Sputnik in 1957 in the quest for peace and security. "There is great satisfaction," he noted, "in being able to present this treaty within 10 years after the launching of that Sputnik." Arthur J. Goldberg, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, then spoke briefly. He commended the members of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and expressed his appreciation to the President "for initiating this effort on behalf of our country." Ambassador Goldberg also read a message from United Nations Secretary General U Thant. The Secretary General described the outer space treaty, together with the Antarctic treaty of 1959 and the nuclear test ban treaty of 1963 as "true landmarks in man's march towards international peace and security. I fervently hope," he said in conclusion, "that these achievements will shortly be followed by similar agreements on nonproliferation of nuclear weapons and other steps towards international peace and security." The British Ambassador, Sir Patrick Dean, and the Ambassador from the Soviet Union, Anatoly F. Dobrynin, also spoke briefly. Stating that the treaty was an important step toward the creation of a world free from the fear of war, Sir Patrick added that its signature by the United States and the Soviet Union would "give fresh encouragement and new hope to the world." In signing the treaty on behalf of the Soviet Union Mr. Dobrynin stated: "We believe that the treaty . . . will be an important step in further development of cooperation and understanding among states and peoples, and will contribute to the settlement of other major international problems facing humanity here on this planet." The full text of the various remarks at the signing ceremony is printed in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (vol. 3, P. 127). After signatures by Secretary Rusk and Ambassador Goldberg for the United States, Ambassador Dean for the United Kingdom, and Ambassador Dobrynin for the Soviet Union, the treaty was signed by the representatives of 57 other nations. Signing ceremonies were also held in London and Moscow. On February 7, 1967, the President transmitted the treaty to the Senate (see Item 38). It was favorably considered by the Senate on April 25, 1967. The text of the treaty is printed in Senate Executive D (90th Cong., 1st sess.). Citation: Lyndon B. Johnson: "Remarks at the Signing of the Treaty on Outer Space.," January 27, 1967. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project.