Russia remains integral to ITER project — organization’s Director General

MOSCOW, October 7. /TASS/. Director General of International Organization ITER Pietro Barabaschi has put to rest any speculation that Russia may be kicked out of the ITER project.
When asked if the policy of ITER towards Russia and Russian specialists has changed, Barabaschi replied: “No.”
Elaborating on the topic Barabaschi said that it is “in the DNA, in the structure of the project – the fact that seven members” [including Russia] are working together for a “human kind objective.”
According to Barabaschi, ITER is proud to have Russia involved, and will not change its policy of cooperation.
ITER is the world’s first international experimental thermonuclear reactor. It is being built with the help of numerous countries in Provence (France), near Marseille. The goal of the project is to show the scientific and technological feasibility of using thermonuclear energy on an industrial scale, as well as to develop special technologies for it.
The reactor is being built jointly by the European Union, India, China, the Republic of Korea, Russia, the United States and Japan. Europe contributes 45% of the cost of constructing the facility, while other countries, including Russia, contribute 9% each. Russian enterprises are responsible for the production of 25 unique systems of the future facility. As part of the joint implementation of the ITER project, a number of key Rosatom enterprises are manufacturing crucial components for the future facility, including all central assemblies of the divertor, 40% of the first wall panels, switching equipment, and connectors for the blanket modules.