UPDATE; CESIUM 137 CONFISCATED AT THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002333 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2015 TAGS: AM ASEC KCRM MNUC PARM PINR PTER TU SUBJECT: UPDATE; CESIUM 137 CONFISCATED AT THE TURKISH/GEORGIAN BORDER REF: ANKARA 810 Classified By: Acting Pol-Mil Counselor Maggie Nardi, reason 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) EXBS Advisor met with the President of the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority, Okay Cakiroglu, on April 22 to request an update on the status of the Cesium 137 that was seized in December. Cakiroglu stated that the Cesium 137 was still safely stored at a Turkish secure facility near Istanbul while Turkey waits for further information concerning its origin. ¶2. (C) Cakiroglu informed EXBS Advisor that he had attempted to contact his counterpart in Armenia shortly after the seizure occurred, but was unable to reach him. Cakiroglu also stated that IAEA informed him that they could not get a commitment from Armenia to properly dispose of the substance. He also confirmed the information provided in reftel. ¶3. (C) Finally, Cakiroglu stated that the Cesium 137 would remain in its current location until the source country is willing to accept responsibility for it and to agree to properly dispose of it via internationally recognized methods. EDELMAN