REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON CESIUM-137 SOURCE

S E C R E T STATE 017212 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2019 TAGS: KNNP MNUC ASEC KCRM PARM PINR GG ZJ SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON CESIUM-137 SOURCE DISCOVERED NEAR KOPITNARI AIRPORT REF: A. A) TBILISI 000314 ¶B. B) TBILISI 000275 ¶C. C) 2007 STATE 162091 ¶1. (U) This is an action request for Embassy Tbilisi. Please see paragraph 3. ¶2. (C) BACKGROUND: According to Ref A, on 8 February 2009 Georgian customs officers discovered a radioactive source buried near the Kopitnari airport, approximately 50 meters from the side of the Kutaisi-Samtredia central highway. The customs officers called the Nuclear and Radioactive Safety Service (NRSS) after one of their personal radiation devices went off on the Kutaisi-Samtredia central highway around 4:00 P.M. NRSS specialists arrived at the site at 1:00 PM the next day and determined the source to be cesium-137 (Cs-137). As of REF A reporting, officials with the NRSS, and other relevant agencies were discussing an excavation plan and anticipated having one in place soon. ¶3. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: In order to clarify information gaps, Post is requested to seek answers from appropriate Georgian officials to questions contained in paragraph 4. Questions were generated by Washington and also derived from questions contained in Ref C. Post is requested to provide a coordinated response to Washington via front-channel cable. ¶4. (S//REL GEORGIA) FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS ABOUT SEIZED MATERIAL: -- Please elaborate on the Georgian excavation plan. What is the status NRSS response plan mentioned in REF B para 5? -- Please describe the orientation of the source before removal. How far was it buried in the ground? How long it was buried in that location? Was the burial hole created by hand or by machine? --Was the cesium in a container? If so, please provide photographs of the container, especially of any labels (NOTE: Photos that include something of known size, such as a ruler, are particularly helpful.) Is there any further detailed descriptive information regarding the seized item (e.g. a label, markings, color, size, weight)? If the material was not in a container when found, please describe the form the cesium was in. --Was additional analysis conducted? If so, where was the analysis conducted, by whom, and with what equipment and techniques? What were the results of the analysis, to include isotope and physical form of the material? If a radiation detector was used, what was the distance from the radiation detector to the object being measured and what was the detector type (make and model)? Please also note the placement of the detector. When gamma spectral data is provided, a calibration spectrum and a background spectrum should always be provided. -- What is the status of the investigation into the incident? Who is informed when material such as this is seized? How was the material handled by Georgian authorities? Which agencies are responsible for investigating this case? -- Who do the Georgians think placed the material there? Do the Georgians think it was placed with nefarious intentions? Was there any indication that if not discovered by authorities, the cesium was going to be removed in the future? If so, when and by whom? Have the Georgians had other radiological/nuclear materials discoveries near that airport or highway? Please provide any details. ¶5. Washington appreciates Post's assistance in answering these questions related to this case. CLINTON