US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN2450

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 002450 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, INR, NP/ECC, 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: 11/08/2014 
TAGS: PINR, KNNP, MNUC, PARM, KCRM, PTER, ASEC, AM, KPRP 
SUBJECT: ARMENIA: UPDATE ON CESIUM-137 CONFISCATED FROM 
ARMENIAN NATIONAL 
 
REF: (A) YEREVAN 2331 (B) STATE 235088 
 
Classified By: DCM A.F. Godfrey for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
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NSS HAS NOT COMPLETED ITS INVESTIGATION, NO NEWS AVAILABLE 
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1. (C) As reported in ref A, Ashot Martirosyan, Head of the 
Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (ANRA), verified on 
October 19 that approximately two curies of radioactive 
cesium-137 was seized from an Armenian citizen Gagik 
Tovmasyan on October 15. 
 
2. (C) On November 5, we met again with Martirosyan and 
underscored the USG's intense interest in this issue (ref B). 
 Martirosyan told us that the Armenian National Security 
Service (NSS) was still leading the investigation and stated 
they could not share any information with ANRA until they 
finished their investigation.  The NSS did tell Martirosyan 
that the source's radiation strength was measured at 
approximately one half roentgen.  Martirosyan explained that 
this was considered a high level of radiation, and out of the 
approximately 80 registered sources of cesium 137 in Armenia, 
none matched this source strength.  Martirosyan could not 
discount the possibility that this source had escaped ANRA's 
registration.  Martirosyan believed, however, that the source 
probably came from outside of Armenia, most likely from 
Russia.  Martirosyan would not speculate as to why Tovmasyan 
may have brought the cesium to Armenia and to whom he wanted 
to sell it.  The NSS reportedly told Martirosyan that 
Tovmasyan refused to admit where he had obtained the cesium. 
 
3. (C) Martirosyan did not believe political factors would 
impede the investigation and pointed out that the NSS almost 
immediately reported the seizure of the cesium to the 
Armenian mass media.  Martirosyan told us that under Armenian 
law, it is illegal to own or transport radioactive materials 
without a license.  He believed that the maximum prison 
sentence was about 5 years.  Martirorsyan stated that to his 
knowledge, no one had been convicted of this crime previously 
in Armenia. 
EVANS