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machines. It if is concluded that those funding levels can and will 

 be provided, then the U.S. fusion program will be strong on its own 

 merits; and international cooperation becomes a voluntary matter of 

 accepting foreign staff members and trading information. If the 

 increased funding levels are assessed not to be available, then the 

 fusion community will have to face that reality and come to agreement 

 on other means, presumably international cooperation if that means is 

 available, to progress toward the goal of workable fusion power 

 systems. 



The second matter that should go forward soon at the DOE is a more 

 detailed plan for future research and development, particularly 

 emphasizing the major machines and large development facilities that 

 are anticipated to be needed and assigning relative priorities to each 

 major component. Concrete near-term, intermediate, and long-term 

 objectives and schedules for their attainment should be established. 

 Such a plan would be valuable for several reasons. First of all, it 

 would serve as a guide in defining the particular areas where the 

 United States should seek international collaboration. Secondly, the 

 inclusion of such major steps, as acknowledged components of the 

 future U.S. program, would give all parties (including ourselves) a 

 degree of confidence that an international agreement would actually be 

 carried out. Thirdly, the plan would show more clearly whether the 

 current array of basic program work and development projects is 

 correct by placing them in their proper perspective in a hierarchy of 

 needs. Finally, although the point is outside the province of this 

 report, such planning enables a more efficient, better focused 

 research and development effort. The plan, of course, should be 

 displayed to the Administration and the Congress for review and 

 concurrence. 



STABILITY IN THE PARTNERSHIP 



In order to enter into arrangments for international fusion 

 cooperation, a certain degree of trust will be required among the 

 participants. While trust is an initial prerequisite, the need for it 

 continues from year to year. If it is ever lost, it is a quality 

 extremely difficult to recover. It is important to avoid unilateral 

 actions, perceived lack of support, and personal conflicts. 

 Accordingly, a clear policy statement of the goals of the U.S. fusion 

 program and a firm commitment to meet them would help establish such 

 trust. It would be a mistake for the United States to try to 

 compensate for a less than full commitment to fusion simply by 

 increased emphasis on international cooperation. 



In particular, once a medium- to large-sized project has been 

 agreed upon, it is essential that the commitment to it continue during 

 its life. This lifetime, of course, can cover a decade or two, a 



