Mr. Merab Malania, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs met Mr. Laurel Cotton, the Head of the US Energy Department delegation, Director of NNSA Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence Office and Mr. Jean Galy, the representative of the European Commission's Joint Research Center during their official visit to Georgia. The meeting was attended by Mr. Goga Razmadze, Director of the Patrol Police Department of the MIA and Mr. Mindia Lortkipanidze, Director of the Special Tasks Department.
The two sides talked about significance of cooperation between the countries in terms of fight against nuclear smuggling and stressed the successful cooperation between the US Energy Department, the EU Joint Research Centre and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. The meeting focused on the issue of improvement of security and legal protection measures near Abkhazian and South Ossetian boundary line. As the participants noted, the uncontrolled territories increase the risk of radiation smuggling, which needs conduct of additional measures by the MIA.
As the Deputy Minister said, the process of installation of mobile radiation detection systems on the off-road vehicles is in progress; this enables the Special Tasks Department of the MIA to conduct constant daily monitoring of radiation during patrolling in the territories adjusting the administrative border.
During the visit the members of the delegation visited a new border checkpoint of the MIA “Kartsakhi” and saw the portable radiation monitors installed in the checkpoint.
As a result of successful cooperation of the MIA of Georgia, the US Energy Department and the Joint Research Centre the border checkpoint Kartsakhi was equipped with the radiation portals and the employees were retrained; the National Communication System (NCS) has been developed and put into operation within the scopes of trilateral cooperation; also, the employees of the Patrol Police Department attended the special trainings on detection of radioactive substances and response to it.
These measures prevent the risk of smuggling of radioactive substances through the border crossing points and reduce the risk of use of Georgia as a transit territory by smugglers.
"The US Department of Energy cooperates with Georgian party for ten years already in terms of nuclear and radiation security. The trilateral project implemented by the MIA of Georgia, the US Energy Department and the Joint Research Centre is a clear example of successful international cooperation. We are proud to have our contributions to the capacity buildings of the border checkpoint “Kartsakhi” – Mr. Laurel Cotton said.
