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WIKILEAKS: NUCLEAR SECURITY
Lragir.am
02/02/2011
Wikileaks reveals that on December 13, 2007, the U.S. Embassy to
Yerevan sent to Washington the following message:
"In a December 10 session in Yerevan, the U.S. Nuclear Smuggling
Outreach delegation laid out its preliminary assessment of Armenia's
abilities to combat nuclear smuggling and passed over its talking
points as a non-paper. The Armenian delegation provided an initial
response that generally agreed with U.S. views, contributing
considerable detail on their government's ongoing efforts and needs.
The participants agreed to provide a more considered, written response
to the U.S. non-paper, with the goal of doing so by the end of
January. The sides agreed that, once the response has been provided,
they will schedule a follow-up meeting, targeted for March 2008,
at which time they will seek to reach agreement on a joint action
plan highlighting the priority steps needed to improve Armenia's
anti-nuclear smuggling capabilities and on a list of priority
assistance projects to address certain needs.
The U.S. Embassy hosted the U.S. Nuclear Smuggling Outreach delegation
for a December 10 meeting in Yerevan with a broad-based Armenian
delegation to conduct initial discussions on nuclear smuggling. CDA
opened the session and also hosted lunch for the delegations in the
Embassy atrium. The Armenian delegation included 19 representatives
from 11 different agencies. Representatives from the European
Commission (EC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
also participated in these discussions.
6. The U.S. delegation presented its talking points laying out the
preliminary U.S. assessment of Armenia's capabilities to prevent,
detect, and respond to efforts to smuggle nuclear and radioactive
materials.
The Armenian side generally agreed with the U.S. assessment and
provided additional detail about ongoing efforts and additional needs:
--Armenia's nuclear regulatory agency believes there is not a
significant number of radioactive sources unaccounted for in Armenia,
but acknowledged that it was not certain of this. Other Armenian
agencies indicated they believed there may be a significant problem
with unidentified radioactive sources. The Armenian side agreed
to review this point and provide additional detail in the written
response. --The Armenia delegation passed to the U.S. delegation a
copy of a recent GOAM decree outlining roles and responsibilities for
GOAM agencies in responding to discoveries of orphaned sources. --The
Armenian delegation confirmed that all facilities with high-activity
radioactive sources that have been identified have either been upgraded
with U.S. assistance or are currently being upgraded.
--Armenian representatives indicated a desire for closer cooperation
with their Georgian counterparts responsible for border security and
nuclear smuggling investigations. --The delegation agreed on the need
to clarify procedures for responding to radiation alarms at borders and
indicated that the relevant procedures are in the process of revision.
--The delegation agreed on the importance of prosecuting all nuclear
smuggling cases, including scams involving attempted sales and
attempted purchases of nuclear or radioactive material.
Representatives also indicated that the GOAM had sufficient legal
authority to prosecute attempted purchases, and any case involving
misuse of nuclear or radioactive material, but it needed a revision of
its laws to prosecute a seller who claimed to have nuclear material,
but only had an empty container. The Armenian side also agreed
to provide additional detail on nuclear smuggling convictions in
its written response. --The EC representative concurred with the
U.S. view that physical security at the Armenia Nuclear Power Plant
(ANPP) is sufficient, but noted that the EC is planning assistance to
Armenia to improve accountancy at this facility. The IAEA is working
to upgrade physical security and accountancy at ANPP.
--The IAEA representative indicated that his organization is finalizing
its Integrated Nuclear Security Support Plan (INSSP) with Armenia. The
IAEA representative noted that INSSP is also organized by prevention,
detection, and response capabilities, and identified needs similar
to those specified in the NSOI assessment. --Both the IAEA and EC
representatives welcomed the opportunity to participate in these
anti-smuggling discussions and indicated the importance of all donors
coordinating their efforts in Armenia.
The U.S. delegation passed an Armenian language version of its talking
points as a non-paper. The Armenian delegation agreed to prepare
a written response, with the aim of providing it to the U.S. by
the end of January. The delegations agreed to schedule a follow-up
meeting in Yerevan as soon as the U.S. side had completed its review
of the Armenian response, probably in the March timeframe. At this
follow-up meeting, the delegations will seek to reach agreement on
(1) a joint action plan highlighting the priority steps needed to
improve Armenia's anti-nuclear smuggling capabilities and (2) a list
of priority assistance projects to address steps that Armenia cannot
implement without outside assistance.
From: A. Papazian
Lragir.am
02/02/2011
Wikileaks reveals that on December 13, 2007, the U.S. Embassy to
Yerevan sent to Washington the following message:
"In a December 10 session in Yerevan, the U.S. Nuclear Smuggling
Outreach delegation laid out its preliminary assessment of Armenia's
abilities to combat nuclear smuggling and passed over its talking
points as a non-paper. The Armenian delegation provided an initial
response that generally agreed with U.S. views, contributing
considerable detail on their government's ongoing efforts and needs.
The participants agreed to provide a more considered, written response
to the U.S. non-paper, with the goal of doing so by the end of
January. The sides agreed that, once the response has been provided,
they will schedule a follow-up meeting, targeted for March 2008,
at which time they will seek to reach agreement on a joint action
plan highlighting the priority steps needed to improve Armenia's
anti-nuclear smuggling capabilities and on a list of priority
assistance projects to address certain needs.
The U.S. Embassy hosted the U.S. Nuclear Smuggling Outreach delegation
for a December 10 meeting in Yerevan with a broad-based Armenian
delegation to conduct initial discussions on nuclear smuggling. CDA
opened the session and also hosted lunch for the delegations in the
Embassy atrium. The Armenian delegation included 19 representatives
from 11 different agencies. Representatives from the European
Commission (EC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
also participated in these discussions.
6. The U.S. delegation presented its talking points laying out the
preliminary U.S. assessment of Armenia's capabilities to prevent,
detect, and respond to efforts to smuggle nuclear and radioactive
materials.
The Armenian side generally agreed with the U.S. assessment and
provided additional detail about ongoing efforts and additional needs:
--Armenia's nuclear regulatory agency believes there is not a
significant number of radioactive sources unaccounted for in Armenia,
but acknowledged that it was not certain of this. Other Armenian
agencies indicated they believed there may be a significant problem
with unidentified radioactive sources. The Armenian side agreed
to review this point and provide additional detail in the written
response. --The Armenia delegation passed to the U.S. delegation a
copy of a recent GOAM decree outlining roles and responsibilities for
GOAM agencies in responding to discoveries of orphaned sources. --The
Armenian delegation confirmed that all facilities with high-activity
radioactive sources that have been identified have either been upgraded
with U.S. assistance or are currently being upgraded.
--Armenian representatives indicated a desire for closer cooperation
with their Georgian counterparts responsible for border security and
nuclear smuggling investigations. --The delegation agreed on the need
to clarify procedures for responding to radiation alarms at borders and
indicated that the relevant procedures are in the process of revision.
--The delegation agreed on the importance of prosecuting all nuclear
smuggling cases, including scams involving attempted sales and
attempted purchases of nuclear or radioactive material.
Representatives also indicated that the GOAM had sufficient legal
authority to prosecute attempted purchases, and any case involving
misuse of nuclear or radioactive material, but it needed a revision of
its laws to prosecute a seller who claimed to have nuclear material,
but only had an empty container. The Armenian side also agreed
to provide additional detail on nuclear smuggling convictions in
its written response. --The EC representative concurred with the
U.S. view that physical security at the Armenia Nuclear Power Plant
(ANPP) is sufficient, but noted that the EC is planning assistance to
Armenia to improve accountancy at this facility. The IAEA is working
to upgrade physical security and accountancy at ANPP.
--The IAEA representative indicated that his organization is finalizing
its Integrated Nuclear Security Support Plan (INSSP) with Armenia. The
IAEA representative noted that INSSP is also organized by prevention,
detection, and response capabilities, and identified needs similar
to those specified in the NSOI assessment. --Both the IAEA and EC
representatives welcomed the opportunity to participate in these
anti-smuggling discussions and indicated the importance of all donors
coordinating their efforts in Armenia.
The U.S. delegation passed an Armenian language version of its talking
points as a non-paper. The Armenian delegation agreed to prepare
a written response, with the aim of providing it to the U.S. by
the end of January. The delegations agreed to schedule a follow-up
meeting in Yerevan as soon as the U.S. side had completed its review
of the Armenian response, probably in the March timeframe. At this
follow-up meeting, the delegations will seek to reach agreement on
(1) a joint action plan highlighting the priority steps needed to
improve Armenia's anti-nuclear smuggling capabilities and (2) a list
of priority assistance projects to address steps that Armenia cannot
implement without outside assistance.
From: A. Papazian