By Stephanie Nebehay
GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States pledged on Friday tocompensate countries if debris lands on their territory from adying U.S. spy satellite that the Pentagon plans to shoot down.
U.S. Ambassador Christina Rocca said that if efforts failto strike the satellite with a missile while it is still inspace, it was expected to make an "uncontrolled re-entry intothe earth's atmosphere on or about March 6".
The satellite is carrying more than 1,000 pounds (454 kg)of hydrazine fuel, and could release much of it as a toxic gas,according to Deputy U.S. National Security Adviser JamesJeffrey.
"Whether the engagement succeeds or fails, the U.S. isprepared to offer assistance to governments to mitigate theconsequences of any satellite debris impacts on theirterritory," Rocca told the Conference on Disarmament.
This was in keeping with a 1972 treaty on internationalliability for damage caused by space objects, which the UnitedStates has ratified, she said.
U.S. officials said on Thursday that President George W.Bush had decided to have the Navy shoot the 5,000-pound (2,270kg) satellite with a modified tactical missile after securityadvisers suggested its re-entry could lead to a loss of life.
Rocca told the 65-member state forum that the timing of thestrike would be chosen to "maximise the chance of hitting thefuel tank and to ensure that the resulting debris will re-enterquickly and thus not pose a danger to satellites and peacefulspace operations".
Washington would seek to minimise the chances that anydebris re-entering the atmosphere could hit a populated area.
(Editing by Jonathan Lynn and Michael Winfrey)
