1. The Scientific Council notes the information presented by JINR Director V. Kadyshevsky concerning the decisions taken by the JINR Committee of Plenipotentiaries (CP) at its March 2003 session, in particular:

 - the approval of the JINR Topical Plan of Research and International Cooperation for 2003 based on the recommendations of the Scientific Council and the PACs;
 - the approval of the general framework of the Draft Programme of JINR's Scientific Research and Development for 2003-2009 proposed by the JINR Directorate;
 - the appointment of the Scientific Council members for a new term of five years;
 - the awarding of the N.N. Bogoliubov Prize for 2001-2002 to Professors Y. Nambu (USA) and A. Tavkhelidze (Georgia), in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the theory of coloured quarks.

1. The Scientific Council highly appreciates JINR's expertise in the field of accelerator physics and engineering. An important form of JINR's international collaboration is its scientific and technical assistance in the development and construction of large facilities for the Member States and other countries. The Scientific Council welcomes the current and planned activities of JINR in this area, especially of the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, for the Cyclotron Centre of the Slovak Republic in Bratislava, new initiatives for a cyclotron in Astana (Kazakhstan), for the microtron in Havana (Cuba), and for a cyclotron in Belgrade (Serbia and Montenegro).

2. The Scientific Council underlines the importance of regular exchanges of students and young scientists between JINR and collaborating research centres and looks forward to a stronger role that the JINR University Centre could play in coordinating educational activities at JINR.

3. The Scientific Council has learned from the report by Academician V. Kadyshevsky that, according to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the proposal for holding, on the basis of JINR in Dubna, of the summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) dedicated to international cooperation in science and technology has been forwarded to the CIS Executive Committee. This issue is planned to be included in the agenda of the CIS summit which is tentatively scheduled for June 2004. Taking into account the position of JINR as a unique research centre in which CIS countries participate, the Scientific Council would highly appreciate if the CIS leaders could find a possibility to meet in Dubna on the occasion of the summit in order to get acquainted with JINR's successful experience in international collaboration and to discuss ways of its promotion.

 The Scientific Council takes note of the detailed comments to the final draft of "The Programme of JINR's Scientific Research and Development for 2003-2009" presented by JINR Vice-Director A. Sissakian.

 The Scientific Council appreciates the efforts of the JINR Directorate towards developing a competitive long-term scientific programme of JINR. It endorses the scientific framework of the proposed Programme and recommends that the Committee of Plenipotentiaries consider it as a basis for future financial and manpower planning for JINR.

 The Scientific Council asks the JINR Directorate to publish the final text of the Programme by 1 October 2003, taking into account the discussion at this session and the last remarks to be received from the Scientific Council members by 1 September 2003.

 The Scientific Council welcomes the intention of the JINR Directorate to further develop the Institute's perspective programme, in particular by working out three supplements (dedicated to the infrastructure, recruitment of young staff, and a booklet of projects and themes which will be prioritized). The Directorate is asked to prepare these supplements for the next session of the Scientific Council.

 The Scientific Council looks forward to regular presentations at future sessions of current scientific plans within the scope of the 7-year plan. In these presentations special emphasis should be given to the assignments of financial and manpower resources and to the discussion of the relative priorities given to the main programme lines of the Institute. These discussions should provide the basis for the continuous adjustment of the Programme where necessary.

 The Scientific Council takes note of the report "Status and operation of the JINR basic facilities" presented by JINR Chief Engineer G. Shirkov.

 The Scientific Council is pleased to note the stable operation of the JINR basic facilities over the last five years.

 The Scientific Council notes that, in line with its previous recommendations, the Synchrophasotron is closed.

 The Scientific Council takes note of and concurs with the recommendations made by the PACs at their April 2003 meetings as presented at this session and their remarks on the Draft Programme of JINR's Research and Development for 2003-2009.

 The Scientific Council congratulates the Veksler-Baldin Laboratory of High Energies on the acceleration and extraction of the Nuclotron's beam of polarized deuterons. It also appreciates the efforts made to convert the Nuclotron into a user-friendly basic facility of JINR.

 The Scientific Council appreciates the recommendations of the Technical Evaluation Committee for the Nuclotron, consisting of outside experts (Chairperson - Professor B. Sharkov, ITEP, Moscow), which were discussed at the meeting. The Scientific Council supports the efforts for the Nuclotron's further technical development to be focused on in 2003-2005 as outlined in the PAC report.

 The Scientific Council shares the concern of the PAC that a number of approved experiments at the Nuclotron have been significantly delayed because the Movable Polarized Target (MPT) is not yet operational. It concurs with the PAC that the MPT should be made operational for physics data taking in less than one year in view of the high priority of this project.

 The Scientific Council notes that the DRIBs project after its initial fast progress has slowed down due to inadequate financing. It strongly recommends the continuation of DRIBs without further delay.

 The upgrade and modernization of the U400 accelerator should be completed with particular urgency as it will allow a more efficient operation of the FLNR cyclotron complex.

 The Scientific Council notes success in the experiments on the synthesis of element 116 in the ⁴⁸Ca+²⁴⁵Cm reaction. It recognizes the importance of studies of chemical and physical properties of superheavy elements with the improved set-ups VASSILISSA and MASHA.

 The experimental programme planned for the IREN neutron source is highly appreciated by the Scientific Council. It is based on top-class experiments aimed at investigating the most important regions in the fields of fundamental and applied nuclear physics. The Scientific Council expresses its concern about the continuing delay in the implementation of IREN's time schedules due to lack of necessary funds.

 The Scientific Council notes progress in the NEMO-3 and TGV-2 experiments, with DLNP scientists playing a major role. These experiments should be continued with high priority.

 The Scientific Council reiterates and strengthens its recommendation for the upgrade of the IBR-2 reactor complex as an absolute priority for JINR's international collaboration and obligations. It requests the JINR Directorate to recover the shortfall in general funding for this project, which occurred in 2002. Full funding should be assured for the planned duration of this project, possibly with the full contribution of the Russian Ministry for Atomic Energy.

1. The Scientific Council thanks Professor H. Lauter for his highly successful work as Chairperson of the PAC for Condensed Matter Physics for five years, and looks forward to the continuation of his work as a member of this PAC.

2. Upon proposal by the JINR Directorate, the Scientific Council appoints Professor W. Nawrocik (University, Poznan, Poland) as Chairperson of the PAC for Condensed Matter Physics for a term of three years.

3. Upon proposal by the JINR Directorate, the Scientific Council appoints Professor L. Jenkovszky (ITP, Kiev, Ukraine) as a new member of the PAC for Particle Physics.

 The Scientific Council notes with interest the scientific reports presented at this session:

• "What a Physicist Can Say about Global Population Growth",

• "On the Way to Element 118",

• "Dzhelepov Laboratory of Nuclear Problems: 1993-2003".

 The Council thanks the speakers S. Kapitza, Yu. Oganessian, and N. Russakovich for their informative presentations.

 The Scientific Council congratulates Professors G. Bellettini, V. Belyaev, S. Bilenky, V. Glagolev, J. Janik, A. Kudinov, A. Mihul, A. Sndulescu, R. Sosnowski and Yu. Zanevsky on being awarded the title "Honorary Doctor of JINR", in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the advancement of science and the education of young scientists.

 The Scientific Council thanks the representatives of Romanian research centres, universities and other institutions - M. Chi, G. Stratan, M. Viinescu, G. Adam, D. Haegan and N. Popa - for the high quality of their presentations.

 Since the establishment of JINR, Romania and the Romanian members of the Scientific Council have been playing an active role in the formation of JINR's scientific policy. Their ideas, proposals, critical remarks and constructive attitude are highly appreciated.

 The Scientific Council notes the extensive and fruitful collaboration of JINR with Romanian research centres, highlighted by the contributions presented and by the dedicated exhibition. In recent years this collaboration has become stronger, leading to a more active participation in JINR research programmes, to a larger representation of Romanian scientists in the scientific advisory bodies of JINR and in the management of the Institute's Laboratories. An important stimulating event for the JINR-Romania relations was the meeting between the President of Romania I. Iliescu and JINR Director V. Kadyshevsky in Bucharest in October 2001.

 The Scientific Council looks forward to further successful development of the cooperation between JINR and its member-state institutions.

 The Scientific Council wishes that further presentations concerning scientific and technical collaboration with research centres of the Member States be included in the agenda of future sessions.

1. The Scientific Council elected by ballot:

   A. Olchevski as Director of the Dzhelepov Laboratory of Nuclear Problems (DLNP) for a term of five years,

   G. Adam, V. Korenkov and P. Zrelov as Deputy Directors of the Laboratory of Information Technologies (LIT) until the completion of the term of office of the LIT Director.

2. The Scientific Council thanks Professor N. Russakovich for his highly successful work as Director of the Dzhelepov Laboratory of Nuclear Problems.

3. According to the Regulation in force, the Scientific Council announces the vacancies of DLNP Deputy Directors.

  The election for these positions will be held at the 95th session of the Scientific Council.

  The 95th session of the Scientific Council will be held on 15-16 January 2004.

V. Kadyshevsky
Chairman of the Scientific Council