UPDATE ON CESIUM 137 CONFISCATED ON THE TURKISH

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000634 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NP/PTR, EUR/CACEN, INR, NP/EDD, CBP/INA, NP/ECC. E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2015 TAGS: PINR MNUC PARM KCRM PTER ASEC TU AM SUBJECT: UPDATE ON CESIUM 137 CONFISCATED ON THE TURKISH BORDER REF: A) YEREVAN 312 B) 04 YEREVAN 2450 Classified By: DCM A.F. Godfrey for reasons 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (C) We recently met with Ashot Martirosyan, head of the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (ANRA) to follow-up on any details concerning the December 2004 Cesium-137 seizure at the Georgian/Turkish border per ref A. Martirosyan stated that ANRA had still not received any official notification from the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority concerning this seizure or any proof that the Cesium-137 originated from Armenia. Martirosyan stated that he assumed that the Cesium-137 was still being held by Turkish customs. Martirosyan stated that the Armenian National Security Service (NSS) had primacy in the investigation of this incident and has not shared any information with ANRA concerning this seizure. ¶2. (C) Martirosyan informed us that the NSS had not shared any new information with ANRA about the seizure of Cesium-137 in October of 2004 in Armenia per ref B. Martirosyan had been informed by the NSS that they would only reveal details of their investigation after a trial of the accused Armenian smuggler took place. Martirosyan was not aware of when the trial might take place. EVANS