RADIATION DETECTION UPDATE: GOVERNMENT OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000139 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN BRIAN RORAFF, ISN/CTR ARYN LESTER, AND SCA/RA ANNE CUMMINGS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2018 TAGS: MNUC KNNP PARM KCRM PTER ASEC KCOR KZ KG UZ SUBJECT: RADIATION DETECTION UPDATE: GOVERNMENT OF UZBEKISTAN PASSES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REF: A. 07 TASHKENT 2063 ¶B. 07 TASHKENT 2081 ¶C. 07 TASHKENT 2090 ¶D. BISHKEK 44 ¶E. TASHKENT 43 ¶F. STATE 4751 Classified By: Poloff Steven Prohaska for reasons 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (C) On January 30 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered a diplomatic note to Post with additional information related to the November seizure of a railcar carrying radioactive material. Post has e-mailed copies of the enclosures to the Uzbekistan Desk Officer, Brian Roraff (202-647-6765). The first document is a truncated version of the original Institute of Nuclear Physics Committee's findings (Ref E) with an update on the status of the train at the end. This document omits the original report's discussion of spectrums detected and neutron radiation. (Note: The text "This confirms that the levels of neutron radiation were several times higher than the background" from Ref E should actually read "This is confirmed by somewhat increased neutron radiation background." End note.) Post's unofficial translation of the additional information and enclosure captions follows: "Institute of Nuclear Physics specialists measured the background radiation at 600 microsieverts per hour. Taking into account the harmfulness of the cargo, the decision was made to return the railway car #64032139 back to the sender--'Temir' company in Kyrgyzstan." Page 1: Seized railway car with high background radiation at the railway station "Uzbekistan" Page 2: Seized railway car with high background radiation Page 3: Seized railway car - view from the top Page 4: Detached car at a siding track Page 5: Detached car at a siding track Page 6: Seized railway car - view from the top ¶2. (C) Comment: Although the Government of Uzbekistan has yet to respond to the follow-up questions Post delivered on January 16, this additional reply appears to be another sign of Uzbekistan's increasing (if still selective) willingness to cooperate with the United States on counter-proliferation issues. The Government of Uzbekistan did not provide any information to Embassy staff through official channels after two similar incidents in 2006, but has already delivered two diplomatic notes to Post with information related to the latest November 2007 seizure. NORLAND