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By 1982, due to budget constraints in the early 1980's, it had become clear 

 that it would not be possible to proceed alone with FMIT construction at the 

 planned pace. The U.S. proposed to its lEA partners in the materials agree- 

 ment that they join in both completing the construction of the facility and 

 operating it. Since there had been eight years of international interest in 

 materials testing, we thought that interest would allow international finan- 

 cial support for the construction of the required facility. To reaffirm 

 that basic support, the TEA chartered in 1983 a Senior Blue Ribbon Materials 

 Panel to consider the role of materials and testing facilities in fusion. 

 This Panel represented the highest level technical judgment that could be 

 brought to bear on the question. The Panel presented a very positive 

 recommendation that was endorsed by Presidential Science Advisor Keyworth. 

 With this panel report, the need for the FMIT was reaffirmed and we expected 

 that the prospect for our proposal to share remaining costs for construction 



of FMIT would be enhanced. But it was not. 



5 



In a letter to Dr. Trivelpiece, Director, Office of Energy Research, EC Vice 

 President Davignon supported the technical objectives and expressed Interest 

 in participation in the operation of such a facility but not in its con- 

 struction. In Japan, there was vigorous informal support in the technical 

 community. However, although the Japanese government initiated a review 

 process, there was no expression of its Governmental support for a joint 

 construction project in time to affect necessary U.S. budget decisions. 



