C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 003605

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR ISN/WMDT, EUR/PRA, EUR/RUS AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2018
TAGS: KNP ENRG IAEA PARM PREL GG RS
SUBJECT: SEEKING RUSSIAN UPDATE ON SUKHUMI RADIOACTIVE
SOURCES

REF: A. STATE 126999

B. MOSCOW 3431

Classified By: EST Counselor Deborah Klepp for reasons 1.4 b and d


1. (C) On December 12, ESToff requested an update on the
four radioactive sources located in Sukhumi, Abkhazia from
First Secretary Olga Kuznetsova, Nuclear Affairs Officer in
the MFA Department of Security and Disarmament Affairs.
While she was aware of the issue and its history, she said
that she had no substantive answers to any of the four reftel
questions, but would confer with her superiors and provide
them when she did.


2. (C) On December 10, EST Counselor requested an update
from Rosatom International Relations Department Head
Konstantin Popov. When pressed, Popov ventured that he
thought the sources are still in Sukhumi. He agreed to check
and to give us an update the week of December 15.


2. (C) Comment: We regularly raise this issue with the
MFA, most recently with Alexander Bolichiov, Second Secretary
on November 25 (ref B). In each case, the MFA has deferred
answering. Embassy will continue to raise these questions at
every appropriate meeting. End Comment.
RUBIN