Joint Press Release

Second Negotiation Meeting Held in Tokyo
on the Joint Implementation of ITER

Tokyo — January 23, 2002. Delegations from Canada, the European Union, Japan and the Russian Federation met in Tokyo this week to continue formal negotiations on the joint implementation of the ITER project. ITER is a major international collaborative scientific and technological project with the goal of taking the next major step in the development of fusion as an attractive energy source for our planet.

This was the second negotiation meeting in a series that is expected to lead, by the end of 2002, to an international agreement on the joint implementation of ITER, for submission to the Parties. Discussed in the meeting was a preliminary draft of ITER Joint Implementation Agreement, which will govern the construction, operation and decommissioning of ITER. Matters covered in the discussions also included the preparation of the basis for site-selection process, procurement allocation schemes, and transitional arrangements towards implementation.

In June 2001, Canada presented an offer to host the ITER project. Canada reported that the first formal review of the ITER project by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission will occur in March as a part of the formal licensing process initiated for possible siting of ITER at Clarington, Ontario.

Other site offers are under consideration by the European Union and Japan. The European Union reported that the French Minister for Research had requested the EU to define the conditions under which a European site could be proposed for ITER construction and asked that the French proposal to realize ITER in Cadarache be taken into account. A study to analyze the possibility of proposing Spain as a possible site is also being conducted.

Japan reported on the discussions at the Council on Science and Technology Policy (CSTP). Minister for Science and Technology Policy and Non-Cabinet members of the CSTP reported on 25 December 2001 that Japanese participation in the ITER Project is desirable and, moreover, hosting ITER is meaningful. The decision of the Japanese Government on the ITER Project will be taken following the final conclusion of the CSTP.

Russia reported that ITER is considered as one of its highest priorities, according to the Federal program ‘ITER International Project’.

The negotiators clarified the points of discussion on the Joint Implementation Agreement, Joint Assessment of Specific Site and other matters and further investigation will be developed before the next negotiation meeting, which is scheduled for 19-20 March 2002 in Moscow.

It was announced that an international symposium on ITER entitled "Burning Plasma Science and Technology on ITER" is to be held in Tokyo on 24 January 2002.

For further information, contact:

Natural Resources Canada
Jim Campbell
(613) 996-2663, jicampbe@nrcan.gc.ca
Laura Ferguson, Iter Canada
(416) 203-9409, laura@itercanada.com

European Commission
Jean-Pierre Rager
32-2-295-30-85, jean-pierre.rager@cec.eu.int

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
7-095-239-24-55, sokolov@minatom.ru

BACKGROUNDER

• ITER, which means "the way" in Latin, is an international fusion energy research and development project with the goal of taking the next major step in the development of fusion energy as a safe, clean and sustainable energy source for our planet. Iter will be the largest collaborative research and development project on earth.

• Fusion is the energy created when atoms are pushed together. Research into fusion has been conducted since the 1920’s, and recent advances have renewed interest in the technology. It is inherently safe and clean - any change in the process will result in an immediate shutdown and no fuel waste or greenhouse emissions are produced.

• On June 7, 2001 Canada’s Ambassador to Russia, Rod Irwin, launched Canada’s bid to host Iter — announcing Canada’s offer of a site in Clarington, just east of Toronto.

• Highlights of Canada’s bid include:

• The best site technically in the world
• Most attractive living location for fusion scientists and their families
• Major supply of a secure source of tritium — a form of hydrogen that is the fuel for Iter - eliminating a need for its transportation across international borders
• An innovative public/private sector financing proposal
• Major savings to the Iter participants when compared with alternate sites

• The Iter Community Council is a grass-roots organization formed by a cross-section of leaders from the area surrounding the site at Clarington. The Council fosters open communication about the project and in November, 2001 hosted international Iter visitors in a workshop on the socio-economic aspects of the community.

• In November, 2001 Canada hosted the first formal Negotiations meetings in Toronto, with participation by delegations from Canada, the European Union, Japan and the Russian Federation.

• The process for obtaining a licence to construct from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) for the Iter project was initiated in March 2001. In March 2002, the CNSC will formally review the Scope of the Environmental Assessment (EA) for final approval. This will be the Iter project’s first formal CNSC review step in completing an EA — a requirement towards obtaining a licence to construct the facility.

• Iter Canada is a not-for profit corporation established in 1997 with members from industry, four levels of government, labour and universities. It is committed to locating the world’s Iter Fusion Research and Development Centre in Canada.

• More information on Iter Canada and the Iter Project can be found at www.itercanada.com