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The Government of Canada (hereinafter also "Canada") The Governments of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Denmark, the French Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Italian Republic, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Swiss Confederation, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, being Governments of Member States of the European Space Agency (hereinafter collectively "the European Governments" or "the European Partner") The Government of Japan (hereinafter also "Japan") The Government of Russian Federation (hereinafter also "Russia"), and The Government of the United States of America (hereinafter "the Government of the United States" or "the United States") Recalling that in January 1984 the President of the United States directed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to develop and place into orbit a permanently manned Space Station and invited friends and allies of the United States to participate in its development and use and to share in the benefits thereof, Recalling the acceptance of the aforementioned invitation by the Prime Minister of Canada at the March 1985 Quebec Summit meeting with the President of the United States and the mutual confirmation of interest on cooperation at the March 1986 Washington, D.C. Summit meeting, Recalling the terms of the relevant Resolutions adopted on 31 January 1985 and 20 October 1995 by the European Space Agency (ESA) Council meeting at the ministerial level, and that, within the framework of ESA, and in accordance with its purpose as defined in Article II of the Convention establishing it, the Columbus programme and the European participation in the international Space Station development programme have been undertaken to develop and will develop elements of the civil international Space Station, Recalling Japan's interest in the Space Station program manifested during the NASA Administrator's visits to Japan in 1984 and 1985 and Japan's participation in the U.S. space program through the First Materials Processing Test, Recalling ESA's and Canada's participation in the U.S. Space Transportation System through the European development of the first manned space laboratory, Spacelab, and the Canadian development of the Remote Manipulator System, Recalling the partnership created by the Agreement Among the Government of the United States of America, Governments of Member Status of the European Space Agency, the Government of Japan, and the Government of Canada on Cooperation in the Detailed Design, Development, Operation, and Utilization of the Permanently Manned Civil Space Station (hereinafter "the 1988 Agreement"), done at Washington on 29 September 1988 and related Memoranda of Understanding between NASA and ESA, and NASA and the Government of Japan, Recalling that the 1988 Agreement entered into force on 30 January 1992 between the United States and Japan, Recalling that NASA, ESA, the Government of Japan and MOSST have been implementing cooperative activities to realize the partnership in the Space Station program in accordance with the 1988 Agreement and the related Memoranda of Understanding, and recognizing that upon its establishment on 1 March 1989, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) assumed responsibility for the execution of the Canadian Space Station Program from MOSST, Convinced that, in view of the Russian Federation's unique experience and accomplishments in the area of human space flight and long-duration missions, including the successful long term operation of the Russian Mir Space Station, its participation in the partnership will considerably enhance the capabilities of the Space Station to the benefit of all the Partners, Recalling the invitation extended on 6 December 1933 by the Government of Canada, the European Governments, the Government of Japan, and the Government of the United States to the Government of the Russian Federation to become a Partner in the detailed design, development, operation and utilization of the Space Station within the framework established by the Space Station Agreements, and the positive response of the Government of the Russian Federation on 17 December 1993 to that invitation, Recalling the arrangements between the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation and Vice President of the United States to promote cooperation on important human spaceflight activities, including the Russian-U.S. Mir-shuttle program, to prepare for building the International Space Station, Recalling the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (hereinafter "the Outer Space Treaty"), which entered into force on 10 October 1967, Recalling the Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts, and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space (hereinafter "the Rescue Agreement"), which entered into force on 3 December 1968, Recalling the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects (hereinafter "the Liability Convention"), which entered into force on 1 September 1972, Recalling the Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space (hereinafter "the Registration Convention"), which entered into force on 15 September 1976, Convinced that working together on the civil international Space Station will further expand cooperation through the establishment of a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship, and will further promote cooperation in the exploration and peaceful use of outer space, Recognizing that NASA and CSA, NASA and ESA, NASA and the Government of Japan, and NASA and the Russian Space Agency (RSA) have prepared Memoranda of Understanding (hereinafter "the MOUs") in conjunction with their Government' negotiation of this Agreement, and that the MOUs provide detailed provisions in implementation of this Agreement, Recognizing, in light of the foregoing, that it is desirable to establish, among the Government of Canada, the European Governments, the Government of Japan, the Government of the Russian Federation, and the Government of the United States a framework for the design, development, operation, and utilization of the Space Station, Have agreed as follows:
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