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
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