Ambassador Rivkin shares an ²¹±èé°ù¾±³Ù¾±´Ú with US staff
7 Apr 2011
Charles H. Rivkin, US Ambassador to France, met with the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ "American Community" and guests on the Château terrace. From left to right: Cesar Luongo; the Ambassador; Joe Minervini from MIT; Joe Snipes; Chang Jun Hoon; Ed Daly; and, wearing a hat, Bob Simmons visiting from the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.
US Ambassador Charles H. Rivkin, who visited the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ site this Tuesday, can be listed among the people whose work has made a decisive impact on American popular culture. As head of The Jim Henson Company for 15 years, he produced such iconic TV programs as "The Muppet Show."
The Ambassador came to ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ accompanied by the US Consul General in Marseille, Diane Kelly. He confided that he had long heard "rumours about a secret project in southern France." As he was shown the platform and the ongoing construction work, the Ambassador was glad to note that there was nothing "secret" about the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Project.
A salute to the flags. From left to right: US Consul General in Marseille Diane Kelly, newly appointed DDG and Director of the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Administration Department Richard Hawryluk, Ambassador Rivkin, ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ DG Osamu Motojima and Head of ODG Takayuki Shirao.
"I'm very impressed by the science, the technology and the international cooperation at work within ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ," he said. "I'm happy that industrial-scale fusion will be available for our children and grandchildren."
Consul General Kelly, who took her position on March 17, admits she was a bit uninformed about "thermonuclear fusion". However, after a briefing in Washington and a visit to the site, she came to the conclusion that the idea behind ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ was "brilliant."
Before heading to the platform, both diplomats were given a presentation of the project by ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Director-General Osamu Motojima. Back at the Château, where lunch was awaiting them, they shared an ²¹±èé°ù¾±³Ù¾±´Ú with members of the 34-person strong "American community" at ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ.