ITER NEGOTIATIONS SEE LAUNCH OF SITE ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Momentum builds towards implementation of ITER
Toronto, Canada - September 18, 2002. Progress accelerated as delegations from Canada, the European Union, Japan and the Russian Federation met this week to negotiate the implementation of the ITER fusion project.
On behalf of the Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, Benôit Serré, his Parliamentary Secretary, welcomed the delegates to Canada. He emphasized the importance for the world of the implementation of the ITER project and reaffirmed Canada's recognition of fusion as a promising potential energy source for the future.
A notable accomplishment was the commencement of the process for the site assessment as a group of international experts began in the framework of the Negotiations with the assessment of Canada's proposed site at Clarington. The next assessments will be of the Japanese site at Rokkasho-mura in October and of the European sites at Cadarache in France and Vandellos in Spain in December.
Also of significance was the agreement on arrangements for the transitional phase towards the possible joint implementation of ITER in 2003. These arrangements would be under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), represented at the Negotiations meeting by Dr. Robert E.H. Clark. Dr. Clark noted the IAEA is pleased to offer its continuing support.
In addition, significant progress was made on the full range of other issues including matters such as the treaty to implement ITER (the Joint Implementation Agreement) and organizational structure.
Japan provided a formal document of the site proposal of Rokkasho-mura at this meeting and explained its excellent characteristics for ITER site. Representatives of Aomori prefecture stated that Aomori welcomes the opportunity to offer a site for ITER as well as the Negotiators' visit scheduled in coming October.
Over the next few months, the negotiators and technical experts have a full slate of meetings in Japan, Spain, France, and the Russian Federation with a view to finalizing the Joint Assessment of Specific Sites by early next year and completing the drafting of the Joint Implementation Agreement by mid-2003.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the delegations were unanimous in expressing their optimism at the substantial progress made on the issues critical to the implementation of the ITER project, in particular the successful beginning to the process for the Joint Assessment of Specific Sites.
The next meeting of the negotiators will be held in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture, Japan on October 29 - 30, 2002.
In addition, Japan invited all delegations to attend the International ITER Forum to be held on the 31st of October hosted by Aomori Prefecture. The ITER Symposium, which is hosted by Japan Federation of Economic Organizations, will be held in Tokyo on the 1st of November.
For further information, contact:
Canada
Ministry of Natural Resources Canada
Jim Campbell
+1 (613) 996-2663, jicampbe@nrcan.gc.ca
Japan
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Office of Fusion Energy
Satoru Ohtake
+81 (3) 5253-4111 ext. 7820, ohtake@mext.go.jp
Russian Federation
Ministry of the Russian Federation for Atomic Energy
Yury Sokolov
+7 (095) 239-2455, sokolov@minatom.ru Back to Index
