The war within the worldwide I magnetic fusion community has I ended, as ministerial representatives of all six parties to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project signed an agreement on June 28 in Moscow. On the surface it appears that the process was amicable, with France (backed by the European Union) being chosen as the site for the construction of ITER, Japan accepting a package of personnel and project benefits offered as compensation to the "non-host" of ITER, and none of the parties further impeding the long-delayed siting process or threatening to withhold funds if the outcome was not to its liking. Still, ITER's future is hardly ensured, as the next crucial action in the process—getting the parties to put up the money for fabrication and construction, an amount expected to run well in excess of ?5 billion (about $6.1 billion)—entails obstacles for many of the parties, perhaps including the European Union itself.
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