Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05YEREVAN131
2005-01-26 11:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:  

CESIUM 137 CONFISCATED ON THE TURKISH BORDER

Tags:  PINR MNUC PARM KCRM PTER ASEC AM KPRP 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000131 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, INR, NP/EDD, 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: 01/26/2015
TAGS: PINR MNUC PARM KCRM PTER ASEC AM KPRP
SUBJECT: CESIUM 137 CONFISCATED ON THE TURKISH BORDER

REF: 04 YEREVAN 2450

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000131

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, INR, NP/EDD, 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: 01/26/2015
TAGS: PINR MNUC PARM KCRM PTER ASEC AM KPRP
SUBJECT: CESIUM 137 CONFISCATED ON THE TURKISH BORDER

REF: 04 YEREVAN 2450

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


1. (C) At a January 23 meeting, Ashot Martirosyan, head of
the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (ANRA) told us that on
16 December, a source of Cesium 137 was seized by Turkish
Authorities at the Turkish-Georgian border. Martirosyan
stated that he received a fax from the Turkish Atomic Energy
Authority (TAEA) which claimed that the Cesium-137 was seized
from a collection of scrap metal at the Turkish Sarp Customs
Border Gate. The truck that transported the scrap metal had
reportedly originated in Armenia, passed through Georgia and
then arrived at the Turkish border. The TAEA stated in the
fax that the weight of the device was about 40 kg and the
dose rate measured at the surface of the devise was 60 Sv/h.
The truck that carried the Cesium 137 had ID number 08 K
5141/5140.


2. (C) The scrap metal allegedly came from the Yerevan-based
chemical factory Polivinilatsetat. Martirosyan told us that
he sent investigators to that plant and found no evidence of
any Cesium 137. Martirosyan stated that a colleague from
Georgia had examined the seized Cesium 137 and due to the age
and bad condition of the container, was unable to recognize
any registration marks. Martirosyan could not discount the
possibility that the Cesium 137 was placed in the scrap metal
in Georgia or in Turkey before it reached the customs border
gate. Martirosyan would not speculate as to why the Georgian
and Armenian border services were not able to detect the
Cesium 137 if the Cesium 137 did in fact originate in
Armenia.


3. (C) Martirosyan told us that ANRA's cooperation with the
TAEA is complicated due to the lack of diplomatic relations
between Turkey and Armenia. Martirosyan told us that the
Armenian National Security Service (NSS) had the lead in this
investigation.


4. (C) Per reftel Martirosyan had no new information
concerning the Cesium 137 which was seized from Armenian
citizen Gagik Tovmasian in October 2004 in Armenia.
Martirosyan stated that the NSS was still investigating that
case and had not shared any new information with ANRA.
EVANS