PROLIFERATION SECURITY INITIATIVE: FRENCH UPDATE

S E C R E T PARIS 007154 SIPDIS FOR ISN E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2025 TAGS: PREL KNNP PARM MNUC ETTC FR CH SUBJECT: PROLIFERATION SECURITY INITIATIVE: FRENCH UPDATE RE INVESTIGATION INTO FRENCH AND U.S. COMPANY INVOLVEMENT IN THE TRANSFER OF CENTRIFUGE EQUIPMENT TO CHINA (S) REF: STATE 060756 Classified By: EST Counselor Robert W. Dry for Reasons 1.5 (c),(d),(h ). ¶1. (S) ESTH/NP officer received a brief update from Sebastien Jaunet, French MFA nuclear expert and PSI contact regarding the status of the French government's inter-agency investigation into the transfer of centrifuge equipment involving the U.S. company Data Physics, French company Actidyn Systemes, and a Chinese nuclear weapons design and manufacturing laboratory. Jaunet informed ESTH/NP officer that the relevant French agencies had concluded that the key to the investigation was to verify the backgrounds of the members of the Chinese delegation that have visited France earlier in the year to meet with Actidyn representatives. Jaunet further advised that the French inter-agency group investigating the matter planned to meet on 17 October in order to discuss results of the research conducted on members of the delegation, and Jaunet promised to pass group's conclusions to ESTH/NP officer as soon as possible. ¶2. (S) In addition to above exchange, Jaunet requested an update on the status of the U.S. government investigation into the centrifuge equipment transfer, particularly any new information which might directly link members of the Chinese delegation to entities involved in the Chinese nuclear program. ESTH/NP officer thanked Jaunet for the update and promised to pass on the French request to Washington. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON