Armenia strengthens control over radioactive material export-import

Bellona, UK
Nov 8 2004

This decision followed the smuggling attempt of cesium-137 in
October.

The Armenian government approved the licensing order of the radioactive
materials, RIA-Novosti reported. The new order should prevent illegal
shipment of the materials and equipment containing radioactive
materials and protect the population from the hazardous irradiation.

In October Armenian authorities had arrested a man found with
radioactive cesium-137 in the trunk of his car. The highly toxic
material, which could contaminate large areas if used in a “dirty
bomb”, was found on Friday and “rendered harmless”, Ashot Martirosian,
chief of the State Atomic Oversight department, said to AP. Yerevan
resident Gagik Tovmasian was arrested on charges of illegal trade
in radioactive materials, Mr Martirosian said. It was unclear how
the man obtained the material but there were various sources in
Armenia, a small former Soviet republic in the Caucasus Mountains,
Mr Martirosian said. Various industries use cesium-137 in density
gauges and for machine calibration. Devices containing cesium-137 can
cause serious radiation exposure if broken and held. Depending on
the amount and form, experts say a dirty bomb made with cesium-137
could spread intense radioactivity over a section of a city, making
it uninhabitable.

In February, Mr Martirosian said a powerful source of radiation was
found on the Armenian-Iranian border among scrap metal headed for Iran,
AP reported.