MOSCOW, April 20. /TASS/. Outer space still be a weapons-free place, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.

"We have not yet passed the point of no return in terms of keeping outer space peaceful, free from weapons and conflicts. And now, much depends on the international community’s urgent and coordinated actions," he said at a meeting of the Trialogue Club International.

According to the senior Russian diplomat, initiatives, such as an international legally-binding instrument, are now badly needed to prevent an arms race in outer space. Such an instrument, in his words, should be based on the Russian-Chinese draft agreement on preventing arms deployment in outer space, the use of force or the threat of force against space objects. "A major intermediate step on the path toward signing a legally-bonding instrument for preventing arms race in outer space is the international initiative or a political commitment on no first placement of weapons in outer space, which already has 37 participating states," Ryabkov said.

"We will continue constructive efforts toward strengthening space security in the interests of entire humankind," he pledged.