A new stage for ITER

22 Nov 2006 - Kaname Ikeda, ITER DG Nominee.
Discussing the further steps: ITER Director-General Kaname Ikeda (middle), his Senior Advisor Pascale Amenc-Antoni and the Director of the school, Jean-Paul Clement.

"First of all, we should recognize and highly appreciate the efforts by the Parties to have brought the international treaty to this final stage. The ITER project was initiated some 20 years ago. The signature which took place on 21 November marks an historical moment, as, subject to parliamentary ratification by some of the parties, it binds the parties to set up the ITER Organization and to support it in its mission to realize the ITER project.

From 1 December, the ITER Organization will have the capacity to directly hire its staff, and to start preparing procurement contracts, which will be necessary early next year for some of the items which have a long lead time. In short, the ITER Organization can now embark on its mission, as a worldwide international cooperation, to help create a new source of energy for humankind."