ITER CTA NEWSLETTER
No. 14, NOVEMBER 2002

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, VIENNA, AUSTRIAISSN 1683–0555

SIXTH NEGOTIATIONS MEETING ON THE JOINT IMPLEMENTATION OF ITER
by Dr. Y. Okumura, Deputy Director, ITER Promotion Office, JAERIThe Sixth ITER Negotiations Meeting (N6) took place on 29-30 October 2002 at Rokkasho-mura in theAomori Prefecture - the location of the site that Japan has offered to host the ITER project. Japan hosted themeeting, which was also attended by delegations from Canada, the European Union, and the RussianFederation. Dr. Masaji Yoshikawa, JAERI, was nominated as Moderator of the meeting, assisted by Dr. TaroMatsumoto, JAERI, as Secretary.
At the start of the meeting, Mr. Yoshiro Mori, the former Prime Minister of Japan and Chairman of the Leagueof Diet Members for Fusion Energy Promotion, made a welcoming address to the delegates. He said thatenergy issues are important to achieving human prosperity, world peace and conservation of the environment,
and that therefore the Japanese Government as a whole should promote the ITER project under international
collaboration to realize fusion energy. Then Mr. Morio Kimura, the Governor of Aomori Prefecture, stated that
Aomori would like to host ITER and contribute to the international community through promotion of the project.
In the participants’ opening comments:•The JA delegation reported that JA had sent a letter to China on 22 October 2002 on behalf of the ITER
Negotiators in response to a letter from Mr. Liu, Vice Minister of Science and Technology of China. It wasannounced that the delegations would meet with the Chinese delegation on 1 November in Tokyo. The JA
delegation also reported that there had been changes within the Japanese Cabinet on 30 September.

Participants in the MeetingMr. Hiroyuki Hosoda was appointed as Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy as thesuccessor to Mr. Koji Omi. Ms. Atsuko Toyama for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology (MEXT) and Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) remained inoffice. It was stressed that the political support for ITER promotion would be as strong as in the previousCabinet. It was also reported that the International ITER Forum hosted by the Aomori Prefecture would
be held on 31 October. The JA delegation invited all delegations to attend the forum.
•The Canadian delegation reported on the special informal ITER session at the IAEA Fusion Energy
Conference in Lyon, France, and noted that it raised the ITER profile in a positive way. The CA delegationcommended all delegations on the planning and execution of the special session and reported that it had
been well attended, with approximately 350 conference participants. The CA delegation also reported thatthe Head of Delegation had responded to the letter from Vice Minister Liu of China.

•The EU delegation reported on the adoption, within the Sixth Framework Programme, of the Specific
Euratom Programme, which gives an explicit basis for continuing activities in the period up to the end of2006, including a provision of up to €200 million for a possible start of ITER construction. It was also
reported that the speech given to the IAEA Ccnference in Lyon by Mme Haigneré, French Minister for
Research, and the announcement on the Cadarache site at the subsequent special evening session onITER, as well as the technical dossier supporting the Cadarache site candidature, had officially beentransmitted to the EU Commissioner for Research by Minister Haigneré. The EU delegation distributed toparticipants copies of this dossier supporting the French site candidature, and gave an overview
presentation, emphasizing the strong scientific and technical infrastructure already existing at the site as
an important factor for the success of the project.

•The RF delegation reported that the ITER activities in the Russian Federation are conducted inaccordance with the Federal Program (2002-2005) approved by the Russian Government. Funding for

Mr. Y. Mori addressing the Meeting. Sitting on the right is Mr. M. Kimura.

2

ITER activities in 2003 is expected to be on the same level as in previous years. It was reported that themandate of the Russian delegation to participate in the Negotiations in 2003 is expected to be approved
soon by the Government. The RF delegation also reported that they had received informal enquiries fromthe Republic of Korea about possible participation in ITER.
Dr. S. Matsuda, Moderator of the Fifth Meeting of the Negotiations Standing Sub-Group (NSSG-5, held in
Rokkasho-mura on 7-9 October 2002) introduced the progress report of the NSSG. The delegations noted
the progress report from the NSSG on the Joint Assessment of Specific Sites (JASS). The joint assessmentof the Japanese site at Rokkasho-mura was conducted on 2-5 October 2002. This followed the assessment
in September of the proposed Canadian site at Clarington. With the successful conduct of these twoassessments, the JASS process is at the halfway mark. The last two site assessments will be carried out inDecember at the two sites proposed by the European Union – one at Cadarache in France and the other at
Vandellos in Spain. It was agreed that the final report of the JASS would be presented at the EighthNegotiations Meeting (N8).
Significant progress was also made on a wide range of other issues, including matters such as the treaty toimplement ITER (the Joint Implementation Agreement - JIA), procurement allocation and the intellectual
property rights that would accrue to participants in the project. The Negotiators agreed that the internationalorganization responsible for implementing the project would be called the ITER International Fusion Energy
Organization. The delegations noted the progress in developing the fifth draft of the JIA and charged theNSSG to elaborate further the JIA and Related Instruments.
The delegations accepted the oral report of NSSG-5 on the management and organizational structure of theorganization, and noted that JA and EU would prepare consolidated papers on the organizational structure
and the staffing, respectively.
It was agreed that the ITER Transitional Arrangements would be conducted during the transition period
between the end of the current Co-ordinated Technical Activities and the establishment of the ITERInternational Fusion Energy Organization. The delegations noted that the Parties have received the lettersfrom the Director General of the IAEA inviting participation in the activity, and encouraged the Parties to reply
promptly. The delegations requested the CTA Project Board to prepare a brief final report on the CTA.
The delegations discussed the Work Plan and Milestones adopted at the Fifth Negotiations Meeting (N5). Nochange was proposed but the delegations noted the necessity for higher political level discussions sufficient
to decide on the site and the need to continue the negotiations process after N8.
At the conclusion of the N6 meeting, the delegations reaffirmed their belief that the critical issues are being
successfully addressed and that the ITER fusion energy research project is well on the way to being
implemented.

ITER Session AT THE IAEA Fusion Energy Conference
by Dr. M. J. Stewart, President and CEO, Iter CanadaA highlight of this year’s Fusion Energy Conference, held in Lyon, France, on 14–19 October, was theparticipation by the ITER Parties in both a Special ITER Informal Session and in the Fusion Institute Exhibitionat the Palais des Congrès de Lyon. These gave conference participants an opportunity to hear the latest on
this collaborative international fusion energy research and development project, and to speak with the experts
from each of the four sites being offered for the construction of ITER. The Special ITER Informal Session washeld on the evening of 16 October and it was very well attended, with approximately 350 conference
participants attending.
Academician Evgeny Velikhov introduced the project and chaired the session. He was followed by Dr. Hiroshi
Kishimoto, who updated the audience on the progress todate in the Negotiations on ITER Joint
Implementation. The objective of the Negotiations is clear: to implement ITER. Key steps in this process are
the series of meetings of the ITER Parties and the resulting work, including the Joint Assessment of SpecificSites (JASS), establishing the ITER Transitional Arrangements, developing the ITER Implementing
Agreement and creating the ITER international organization.

3Dr. Murray Stewart of Canada reviewed the process established by the ITER Negotiators for proceeding toimplementation of the ITER project. This includes the Negotiators’ work plan, milestones and transitionalarrangements to be made until the four ITER parties – Canada, the European Union, Japan and the RussianFederation – reach agreement on all of the issues.
Five Negotiations Meetings had been held by that time and the Parties rotate as hosts. Many key milestones
have been reached, including completion of site assessments for two of the four proposed host locations,approved ITER Transitional Arrangements, detailed drafting of the Agreement and progress on related issues
such as cost sharing, procurement allocation, and intellectual property arrangements.
In parallel with the Negotiations are the Co-ordinated Technical Activities, established in July 2001 andcontinuing until December 2002. Conducted under the auspices of the IAEA, these replaced the ITER
Engineering Design Activities and ensured continuity and continued progress on ITER technical issues.
Effective January 2003, these activities will be conducted under the ITER Transitional Arrangements, whichinclude the organizational preparations to enable implementation of ITER immediately following ratification ofthe Agreement. The ITER Transitional Arrangements, which also will be conducted under the auspices of theIAEA, are overseen by an ITER Preparatory Committee that has overall responsibility. This Committee, aNominee Director General, assisted by his Transitional Team, and Participant Teams comprise the structureof the Transitional Arrangements. Dr. Robert Aymar has been designated Interim Project Leader prior to theappointment of the Nominee Director General, and is overseeing the Transitional Project Team and its current
work sites at Naka in Japan and Garching in Germany.
Dr. Valery Belyakov of the Russian Federation presented an overview of the current ITER site candidates anda description of the process for the JASS. An Ad Hoc Group has been formed to conduct the assessment,
comprised of representatives from each of the four ITER participants – Canada, the European Union, Japanand the Russian Federation – and the ITER International Team. The assessment process will look at a varietyof criteria, including technical aspects such as site requirements and site design assumptions; sociocultural,Dr. V. Belyakov presenting an overview of the four sites

4licensing and financial aspects; and the site support that the host site would provide to the internationalorganization.
The JASS Ad Hoc Group will visit all of the proposed sites by the middle of December 2002, and the final
report of the group is planned for completion and presentation to the ITER Negotiators in early 2003. It isexpected that the final selection of the ITER site will be made by the middle of 2003.
Dr. Belyakov’s presentation was followed by a review of each of the four proposed sites for ITER. Canada’ssite presentation was made by Mayor John Mutton of the Municipality of Clarington – Canada’s proposedlocation. The sites proposed by the European Union were reviewed by Dr. Carlos Alejaldre for the Spanishsite at Vandellos and by Dr. Bernard Frois for the French site at Cadarache. Finally, Dr. Satoru Ohtake ofJapan described Japan’s proposed site at Rokkasho-mura. All of the site presentations used the latest audiovisual techniques to give those attending a good understanding of the characteristics of the different sites.
The session concluded with a presentation on the “Fast Track” approach to fusion by Dr. Jean-Pierre Ragerof the European Commission. He discussed the option of the Fast Track approach proposed by Dr. David Kingand under consideration by the ITER Parties. It envisions a materials development facility (InternationalFusion Materials Irradiation Facility) in conjunction with ITER in order to see earlier realization of a fusion
power plant.
An exhibition, held in the forum of the Palais des Congrès de Lyon, featured displays by the International Teamand the four groups representing the site offers to host the ITER project – those from Cadarache, France;
Clarington, Canada; Rokkasho-Mura, Japan; and Vandellos, Spain. Experts from the International Team andthe potential host sites were on hand at their booths throughout the conference. They acquainted conference
participants with the attributes of the ITER project and the proposed sites and answered questions. Thesedisplays were a popular stopping point for participants and it is estimated that nearly 1000 people took
advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the ITER project.

A view overlooking the displays of the ITER site candidates and the poster session area.

5

In summary, the information about ITER in both the conference programme and the exhibition was of greatinterest to participants. The project’s importance as the next major step in fusion energy research is widely
recognized and participants welcomed the opportunity to learn more about the project and the progress being
made towards its implementation.
The Canadian delegation reported to the ITER Negotiators at their sixth meeting (N-6) on the Special ITER
Informal Session, noting that it raised the ITER profile in a positive way. All delegations participating in N-6
were commended on the planning and executing of the Special Session.

Dr. Derek Robinson FRS
in memoriam
Dr. Derek Robinson, Head of the UKAEA Fusion programme,died from cancer on 2 December 2002 in Oxford at the age of61.
He gained a First Class Physics Degree and his PhD at
Manchester University. His doctoral research involved the studyof plasma turbulence in the ZETA experiment at the Atomic
Energy Research Establishment, Harwell. He started work at
Culham Laboratory, the newly established UK centre for fusion
research, in 1970, becoming Director in 1996. He was electedto the Royal Society in 1994 and at the time of his death was aVice President of the UK Institute of Physics and Chairman of its
Board of Publications.
His participation in the historic Culham mission, whichmeasured the electron temperature with Thomson scattering on
T3 and confirmed the startling results presented at theNovosibirsk Conference in 1968, reflects two prominent facets of
his activity: his interest in international collaborations, backed bygreat diplomatic skills, which he had plenty of occasions to apply
within the framework of ITER, and his belief in the development of a successful thermonuclear reactor based on thetokamak concept. His broad and deep knowledge of tokamak physics and the supporting techniques, such asheating and control, made him an invaluable member of the numerous technical committees in which he participated.
He was a member of the ITER Technical Advisory Committee from the start, and a member of every ITER Committeeor Special Working Group that evaluated the various phases of ITER.
On the human side, Derek was a man of consensus, believing that finding the common points rather than thedifferences in opinion is the most constructive way to move forward. This respect for others - even if they held very
divergent opinions - explains the great respect he enjoyed worldwide. It was also of inestimable value in discussions
and decision-making in a project such as ITER.

Printed by the IAEA in Austria
January 2003

03-00018

Items to be considered for inclusion in the ITER CTA Newsletter should be submitted to B. Kuvshinnikov, ITER Office, IAEA,
Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria, or Facsimile: +43 1 2633832, or e-mail: c.basaldella@iaea.org(phone +43 1 260026392).