Brussels, 10/11/2004 (Agence Europe) - Negotiations on Tuesday in Vienna to try and reach an agreement for the ITER thermo-nuclear fusion site did not conclude with a solution. They did, however, see Japan renouncing the Rokkasho-Mura site as an obligation for its partners. Japan was also prepared to discuss a new partnership. This attitude was appreciated by all the negotiators, included the Americans and Koreans who supported the Japanese site.
The European idea that unblocked the situation was that involving the "privileged partnership", offering the country of the rising sun a prize position in the ITER project. EUROPE had been informed that European proposals include the possibility of Japan being the centre of a research centre on material to be used in the future reactor. In this context, Japan would still have the chance to build a reactor, smaller than ITER but which would succeed the JET reactor (Joint European Taurus) which is currently in use in the United Kingdom.
European proposals are currently being studied by the Japanese government. The Commission will examine the situation on 16 November and is expected to adopt a proposal to amend its negotiation mandate to take into account this development. The 26 November Competitiveness Council could then adopt the decision amending the mandate so that the Commission is able to continue, if everything goes to plan, negotiations conclusions.
The ITER project is estimated to include costs of EUR 10 bn over 30 years, including 4.7 bn for the construction of the reactor alone, which could finally be set up in Cadarache in south east France. Implementing this international project has been blocked for a number of months due to disagreements on choice of the site. The EU, Russia and China support Cadarache, while Rokkasho-Mura has been supported by South Korea and the USA.