Uzbekistan Signs the Artemis Accords as the 77th Nation, With Secretary Rubio Witnessing in Samarkand
SAMARKAND — The U.S. Department of State announced on October 19 that the Republic of Uzbekistan has signed the Artemis Accords, becoming the 77th country to join the accords and pledging a commitment to the peaceful exploration and use of outer space.
Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov signed the accords on behalf of Uzbekistan in Samarkand, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — in the city for the C5+1 Ministerial — witnessed and celebrated the signing following his bilateral meeting with Saidov. According to the State Department's readout of the meeting, Rubio also welcomed Uzbekistan's interest in U.S. civil nuclear technology, and the two sides agreed to deepen cooperation on critical minerals.
The United States and seven other countries established the Artemis Accords in 2020, during President Trump's first term; the accords set out principles and norms for peaceful cooperation in lunar and deep-space exploration, and the list of signatories has continued to grow.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 《阿尔忒弥斯协定》签署仪式（资料照片）。美国国家航空航天局 NASA 摄，公共领域图片，经 Wikimedia Commons 发布。
