The United States will not adopt the European Union's proposed "code of conduct" for space activity as currendy drafted on the grounds that it is too restrictive, according to U.S. government officials. "It's been clear from the very beginning diat we're not going along with the code of conduct," Ellen Tauscher, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, said during a Jan. 12 breakfast with reporters here. Asked why the U.S. government would not sign die document, Tauscher said, "It's too restrictive." However, anodier U.S. government official said the draft code is not being rejected outright and diat it could serve as basis for afuture document. "The U.S. has been consulting with the EU on its proposed international code of conduct," this source said. "The draft code developed by die EU could be a good starting point for future discussions on an international code of conduct."
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