US embassy cable - 05PARIS7154

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