ARMENIA: UPDATE ON CESIUM-137 CONFISCATED FROM

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 002450 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, INR, NP/ECC, EUR/ACE, CBP/INA, NP/PTR, EUR/RUS, EUR/RPM, DS, IO/T, INR/SPM, S/CT, S/P, S/S-O E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2014 TAGS: PINR KNNP MNUC PARM KCRM PTER ASEC AM KPRP SUBJECT: ARMENIA: UPDATE ON CESIUM-137 CONFISCATED FROM ARMENIAN NATIONAL REF: (A) YEREVAN 2331 (B) STATE 235088 Classified By: DCM A.F. Godfrey for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). -------------- -------------- NSS HAS NOT COMPLETED ITS INVESTIGATION, NO NEWS AVAILABLE -------------- -------------- ¶1. (C) As reported in ref A, Ashot Martirosyan, Head of the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (ANRA),verified on October 19 that approximately two curies of radioactive cesium-137 was seized from an Armenian citizen Gagik Tovmasyan on October 15. ¶2. (C) On November 5, we met again with Martirosyan and underscored the USG's intense interest in this issue (ref B). Martirosyan told us that the Armenian National Security Service (NSS) was still leading the investigation and stated they could not share any information with ANRA until they finished their investigation. The NSS did tell Martirosyan that the source's radiation strength was measured at approximately one half roentgen. Martirosyan explained that this was considered a high level of radiation, and out of the approximately 80 registered sources of cesium 137 in Armenia, none matched this source strength. Martirosyan could not discount the possibility that this source had escaped ANRA's registration. Martirosyan believed, however, that the source probably came from outside of Armenia, most likely from Russia. Martirosyan would not speculate as to why Tovmasyan may have brought the cesium to Armenia and to whom he wanted to sell it. The NSS reportedly told Martirosyan that Tovmasyan refused to admit where he had obtained the cesium. ¶3. (C) Martirosyan did not believe political factors would impede the investigation and pointed out that the NSS almost immediately reported the seizure of the cesium to the Armenian mass media. Martirosyan told us that under Armenian law, it is illegal to own or transport radioactive materials without a license. He believed that the maximum prison sentence was about 5 years. Martirorsyan stated that to his knowledge, no one had been convicted of this crime previously in Armenia. EVANS