ARMENIA: RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCE CESIUM-137 DETAINED

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 002331

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, INR, NP/ECC, EUR/ACE, CBP/INA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2014
TAGS: PINR ECON PTER PARM AM KPRP
SUBJECT: ARMENIA: RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCE CESIUM-137 DETAINED
AND CONFISCATED FROM ARMENIAN NATIONAL

Classified By: CDA A.F. Godfrey for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) On 19 October, the Armenian press reported that an
Armenian citizen, Gagik Tovmasyan, was arrested on Oct 19
while transporting Cesium-137. National Security Service
officials confirmed this during an Oct 19 meeting. Ashot
Martirosyan, Head of the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Agency,
verified that two curies of radioactive cesium-137 were
seized from Tovmasyan on October 15. Martirosyan told us
that the radioactive material was being transported in the
original specialized container in the trunk of a car and if
the cesium-137 had leaked it could have posed a serious
health hazard to anyone who came in contact with it.
Martirosyan told us the cesium-137 had since been placed in a
government storage facility and rendered harmless.


2. (C) Martirosyan noted that the Armenian National Security
Service (NSS) had the lead on the investigation and he had no
further details on where the material was seized, and why the
Armenian citizen was in possession of it.


3. (C) An official representative from the NSS told us that
the seizure of the cesium-137 was the result of a sting
operation and the investigation was ongoing.
GODFREY