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Armenia Profile:
Export Control Developments
Please click here for the text of an archived report on Armenian export controls.
18 May 2005: New Combined Customs Control and Border Checkpoint Facility Opens with U.S. EXBS Assistance in Armenia
On 18 May 2005, at the ceremony inaugurating the opening of the combined customs control office and border checkpoint at the Bagratashen border crossing on the Armenian-Georgian border, the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John M. Evans, officially transferred the newly built facility to his Armenian counterpart, Deputy Foreign Minister Aram Kirakossian.[1,2,3] [The Bagratashen border crossing is located 227 km north of the Armenian capital Yerevan. It is the busiest border crossing on the Armenian-Georgian border because of the existence of open-air markets on both sides of the border—on the Armenian side, in the village of Bagratashen, and on the Georgian side, in the village of Sadakhlo. Every day, thousands of shuttle traders converge at these outside markets to trade consumer goods. Since the early 1990s the Bagratashen and Sadakhlo markets have been playing important roles in facilitating regional trade.][2,4]
The U.S. government provided $200,000 for the construction of the Bagratashen border checkpoint and customs control office through the EXBS program.[1,2,3] The two-story building, which will house both the customs officials and border guards, is equipped with computers and modern surveillance systems to monitor the movement of goods and people across the border. In addition, the U.S. side will install radiation detection and monitoring equipment at the Bagratashen border checkpoint.[1] The Armenian officials expressed hope that the opening of the new customs control office and border checkpoint at Bagratashen, which is the main border crossing on the Armenian-Georgian border, will substantially improve the monitoring and regulation of the cross-border trade.[2] In his speech at the opening ceremony, Ambassador Evans also noted that the United States is currently assisting the Armenian government with modernizing and upgrading the Meghri border checkpoint on the Armenian-Iranian border.[2]
In a related development, on 13 May 2005, in his opening remarks at the counterterrorism seminar organized at the National Assembly of Armenia (Armenian Parliament), Ambassador Evans praised U.S.-Armenian cooperation in counterterrorism and nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and noted that the United States intends to expand cooperation in the sphere of defense.[5] In this regard, Ambassador Evans noted the visit by a group of experts from the U.S. European Command [EUCOM] to assess Armenian forces, which occurred in early May 2005.[4]
Sources:
[1] "Export Control and Related Border Security," U.S. Embassy in Armenia Public Affairs Office news release, 18 May 2005, http://www.usa.am/news/2005/may/news051805.html.
[2] Shakeh Avoyan, "U.S. funds key Armenian border checkpoint," Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Armenian Service, 18 May 2005, http://www.armenialiberty.org/armeniareport/report/en/2005/05/C0B7EA8C-D2EC-4153-8992-577046B64953.ASP.
[3] "SShA obustraivayut armyano-gruzinskuyu i armyano-iranskuyu granitsy" [The United States are strengthening the Armenian-Georgian and Armenian-Iranian borders], Regnum news agency, 18 May 2005, http://www.regnum.ru/news/456134.html.
[4] Armine Avetyan, "Bagratashen-Sadakhlo. If They Don’t Interfere We’ll Live More Peacefully," Hetq Online [an on-line magazine of the Armenian NGO – the Association of Investigative Journalists], 9 February 2005, http://www.hetq.am/eng/society/0502-sadakhlo.html.
[5] Mediamax news agency (Yerevan, Armenia), 13 May 2005; in "Envoy Says US to Expand Military Cooperation With Armenia," FBIS Document CEP20050513013017.
This item originally appeared in the NIS Export Control Observer: <http://www.cns.miis.edu/pubs/nisexcon/indes.htm>.
19-21 April 2005: U.S. and Austria Organize Export Control Seminar in Armenia
During 19-21 April 2005, as part of the State Department-funded Export Control and Related Border Security Assistance (EXBS) program, the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security and the Austrian Ministry for Economics and Labor, conducted a joint export control seminar for Armenian government officials in Vienna, Austria.
The purpose of the seminar was to familiarize Armenian officials with export controls according to international best practices and to facilitate the adoption of an EU model control list as the national control list of Armenia.
Armenian officials learned about the various international export control regimes whose control lists, in combination, comprise the EU control list. They also visited the offices of two control regimes located in Vienna (the Wassenaar Arrangement, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group) and observed various aspects of the export control system of an EU country - Austria. In order to gain a full appreciation of product classification methodology, as part of the training portion of the workshop, Armenian officials interacted with a series of instructor-led, computer-based quizzes and simulations and participated in a series of paper-based exercises in which they were broken into groups of expert teams to classify "real-world" products.
Source:This item originally appeared in the NIS Export Control Observer: <http://www.cns.miis.edu/pubs/nisexcon/indes.htm>.
14 March 2005: U.S. Government Provides Assistance to Armenian Border Guards
On 14 March 2005, the United States donated eight vehicles to the Border Guard Service of Armenia, under the U.S. Department of State’s Export Control and Related Border Security Assistance (EXBS) program. The vehicles, including three Nivas, two Ladas, and three Specialized All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) will be used for off-road patrolling in particularly rugged terrain.[1,2]
The commander of the Armenian Border Guards, Colonel Vyacheslav Voskanyan, attended the donation ceremony, which was held at the headquarters of the Armenian Border Guard Service.[2,3] During the ceremony, U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Anthony F. Godfrey announced that in 2005 under the aegis of the EXBS program, the U.S. government will provide Armenia with border security assistance worth $1.3 million, involving "both equipment transfer and training." In his remarks, Godfrey noted that "EXBS is one of the most important assistance programs the U.S. Embassy is involved in." He also emphasized that "stopping the proliferation of biological and chemical weapons through proper border controls is very important to all countries, and we are glad to see that Armenia has made it a high priority."[2]
The EXBS program in Armenia was launched in 2000. Under the program, formal training seminars, which are geared toward training Armenian border guards and customs officials in using advanced investigative methods for the identification of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and related commodities, are organized regularly both in Armenia and in the United States. In addition, in 2004 the EXBS program funded several construction projects aimed at upgrading the following Armenian facilities: the Bagratashen border crossing point and customs checkpoint located on the Armenian-Georgian border (200 km from the capital of Armenia, Yerevan); border guard barracks at the Gogavan border crossing point and customs checkpoint located 174 km from Yerevan on the Armenian-Georgian border; as well as training facilities for border guards and customs officials in Yerevan.[1,2,4]
Source:
[In the Republic of Armenia, the Border Guard Service is under the authority of the National Security Service, which is also responsible for intelligence, including signals intelligence, and ensuring the protection of the president.][5]
Sources:
[1] "USA allocates 1.3m dollars in assistance to Armenian border guards," Public Television of Armenia, 14 March 2005; in ArmenianDiaspora.com [Armenian news portal], <http://www.armeniandiaspora.com/archive/22529.html>.
[2] "U.S. Embassy Grants Eight Vehicles to Armenia’s Border Guards," U.S. Embassy in Armenia press release, 14 March 2005, <http://www.usa.am/news/2005/march/news031405_2.html>.
[3] "Podarok armyanskim pogranichnikam" [Present for Armenian border guards], A1Plus.am [Armenian television broadcasting and on-line news company], 15 March 2005; in Day.Az [Azerbaijani on-line newspaper], <http://www.day.az/news/armenia/21946.html>. [4] "The Structure of the RA Customs System," Armenian Customs Service website, <http://www.customs.am/structure.php>.
[5] Yelena Lyubarskaya, "1/6 chast sushi: Chto meshayet ‘konyachnoy revolyutsii’" [1/6 part of earth: what hinders the ‘cognac revolution’], Lenta.Ru, 15 April 2005, <http://vip.lenta.ru/news/2005/04/15/armenia/>.
This item originally appeared in the NIS Export Control Observer: <http://www.cns.miis.edu/pubs/nisexcon/indes.htm>.
April 2005: EXBS Program Welcomes New Advisors to the Caucasus and Central Asia
The U.S. Department of State–funded Export Control and Related Border Security Assistance program (EXBS) welcomes three new program advisors to the NIS. Mr. Charles Hiscock will serve as the program advisor in Baku, Azerbaijan; Mr. Andrew Offenbacher in Almaty, Kazakhstan; and Mr. Paul Shott in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Each of the new advisors brings with him a wealth of program management, training, and international experience to the cadre of what is currently a total of 10 EXBS program advisors posted to the region.
The EXBS program, managed by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Nonproliferation in consultation with other U.S. government agencies, is aimed at working cooperatively with key countries to help them establish or strengthen export and related border control systems. The initiative is part of the overall effort to prevent the proliferation of WMD and their delivery systems, as well as potentially destabilizing accumulations of conventional weapons. The program currently operates in 45 countries, including 10 former Soviet republics: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
The primary goals of the program are to work with recipient countries to strengthen the political commitment and legal authority related to effective export controls, to improve their ability to evaluate transfer requests involving items of proliferation concern, to enhance their capabilities to detect and prevent illicit transfers of controlled items, to promote effective government-to-industry outreach and interagency coordination, and to improve capabilities to investigate and prosecute those who violate export controls. The program is implemented by a variety of U.S. agencies, industry, and non-governmental organizations, including the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, and State. The EXBS advisors are a critical part of the program, working in-country to implement and support all activities—including trainings, workshops, exchanges, and equipment distribution—within their countries. The advisors also serve an important role as a liaison to Washington.
Source: NIS Export Control Observer, March 2005, CNS website, <http://cns.miis.edu/nisexcon/idex.htm>.
5 November 2004: Armenian Government Approves Legislation on Licensing Exports and Imports of Radioactive Sources
On 5 November 2004, the Armenian government (Cabinet of Ministers) approved the order On Licensing Exports and Imports of Sources of Ionizing Radiation and Radioactive Materials. The government approval also specifies the formats for license request application forms and other relevant documents. The public relations office of the Armenian government informed the RIA Novosti news agency that by adopting the export and import licensing regulation, the Armenian government intends to prevent the illegal transit of materials and equipment containing radioactive elements and to protect the population from the hazards of ionizing radiation.[1,2]
As of late November 2004, the full text of the aforementioned government order was only available in Armenian on the official website of the Armenian government (http://www.gov.am/).
Sources:
[1] "Armenia strengthens control over radioactive material export-import," Bellona Foundation, 8 November 2004, http://www.bellona.no/en/international/russia/incidents/35938.html.
[2] Gamlet Matevosyan, "Armeniya uzhestochila kontrol za eksportom-importom radioaktivnykh materialov" [Armenia strengthened control over exports-imports of radioactive materials], RIA Novosti, 5 November 2004, <http://www.rian.ru/rian/intro.cfm?nws_id=726758>.
This item originally appeared in the NIS Export Control Observer: <http://www.cns.miis.edu/pubs/nisexcon/indes.htm>.
15 October 2004: Cesium Seized in Armenia
Agents of the National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia arrested a resident of Yerevan on 15 October 2004, on charges of illegal trade in radioactive materials, ITAR-TASS reported on October 18, 2004. The arrest resulted from a special operation conducted by the NSS. The suspect, 45 year-old Gagik Tovmasyan, was arrested while trying to export radioactive cesium-137 in his car.[1] The available media reports did not specify the location of the arrest, nor the quantity of seized cesium. The NSS has launched a criminal investigation into the case. According to Ashot Martirosyan, head of the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, the confiscated cesium-137 was placed in storage at a special warehouse. Martirosyan also noted that cesium-137 is used in Armenia for industrial purposes, but the origin of the confiscated radioactive material has yet to be established.[1,2]
[Cesium-137 is used in a wide variety of industrial instruments, such as level and thickness gauges and moisture density gauges. Cesium sources have been used to measure the level of liquids in a variety of applications, including gasoline in gas tanks and beer in beer cans. It is also commonly used in the food processing industry for food irradiation purposes as well as in healthcare settings in various diagnostic procedures, sterilization of medical instruments and equipment, and blood irradiation. A few curies or more of cesium-137 could pose a considerable danger to the public if used in a radiation dispersal device, such as a "dirty bomb." Many level gauges use a few curies of cesium-137, and devices such as blood irradiators and food irradiation units are considered an even higher risk because they contain thousands or more curies.]
Sources:
[1] Tigran Liloyan, "Spetssluzhby Armenii presekli popytku vyvoza radioaktivnogo elementa tseziy-137 za predely respubliki" [Armenian security service blocked an attempt to export radioactive cesium-137], ITAR-TASS, 18 October 2004; in Integrum Techno, <http://www.integrum.com>.
[2] "Spetssluzhby Armenii arestovali torgovtsa radioaktivnymi veshchestvami [Armenian security service arrested a peddler of radioactive substances], Armenian news agency ARKA, 18 October 2004; in Integrum Techno, <http://www.integrum.com>.
This item originally appeared in the NIS Export Control Observer: <http://www.cns.miis.edu/pubs/nisexcon/indes.htm>.
12 February 2004: Armenian Customs Officials Seize Radioactive Object in Shipment Bound for Iran
On 12 February 2004, Nuclear.ru reported that on December 29, 2003, at the Megri border checkpoint on the Armenian-Iranian border, Armenian customs officials discovered a radiation source in a scrap metal shipment bound for Iran. However, Nuclear.ru mistakenly indicated that the scrap metal was outbound from the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).[1,2] According to Vladimir Kurghinyan, spokesperson for the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ANRA), the Armenian NPP in Metsamor is not linked to the radioactive object.[2,3] Later ANRA head Ashot Martirosyan also confirmed that neither Iran nor the Armenian NPP were connected to the radioactive object.[4,5,6] On 25 February, ITAR-TASS quoted Martirosyan as saying that the radioactive object discovered at the Armenian-Iranian border was an empty casing from a radioactive source, which previously contained strontium-90.[5]
After its discovery, Armenian authorities immediately neutralized the object and reported the incident to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).[1,6] According to Martirosyan, Armenia has launched the investigation into the incident with the assistance of the IAEA and the Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy (now Federal Agency of Atomic Energy). He added that a spectral analysis showed that the object has a high radioactivity level and that it was not registered among the 1,292 sources in a 2003 government inventory of radiation sources. According to Martirosyan, the object could have been brought to Armenia from Georgia.[4,6,7] According to Kurghinyan, the investigation is aimed at revealing both the origin of the source and the circumstances of its appearance in the scrap metal shipment.[1]
[The presence of the casing for a radioactive source without the radioactive source itself would appear to imply that the source now rests at an unknown location without the protective barriers necessary to avoid injury to the public.]
Sources:
[1] "MAGATE klassifitsirovalo sobytiye na Armyanskoy AES urovnem ‘2’ po mezhdunarodnoy shkale INES" [IAEA rated the event at the Armenian NPP as a Level 2 event in accordance with the International Nuclear Events Scale], Nuclear.ru, February 12, 2004, <http://www.nuclear.ru/news/full.html?id=2275>.
[2] "Nuclear.ru prinosit izvineniya za dopushchennuyu netochnost v informatsii o radiatsionnom intsidente v Armenii" [Nuclear.ru apologizes for the mistake made in the report about the radioactive incident in Armenia], Nuclear.ru, February 13, 2004, <http://www.nuclear.ru/news/full.html?id=2279>.
[3] Kurghinyan, "Unshielded radioactive source found in metal scrap," February 9, 2004, IAEA Nuclear Events Web Based System website, <http://www-news.iaea.org/news/topics/topic/default.asp?topicID=742>.
[4] Tigran Liloyan, "Obnaruzhennyy na granitse Armenii i Irana istochnik radiatsii byl bolshoy moshchnosti" [Radiation source found on the Armenian-Iranian border had high radioactivity], ITAR-TASS, February 19, 2004; in Integrum Techno, <http://www.integrum.com>.
[5] Tigran Liloyan, "Iran ne imeyet nikakogo otnosheniya k radioaktivnomu predmetu, obnaruzhennomu v Armenii , zayavil nachalnik Gosatomnadzora strany" [Iran has nothing to do with radioactive object found in Armenia, according to the head of the country’s Nuclear Regulatory Authority], ITAR-TASS, February 25, 2004; in Integrum Techno, <http://www.integrum.com>.
[6] "Armenia investigating origin of radioactive source found on Iranian border," Arminfo, February 19, 2004; in Lexis Nexis Academic Universe, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
[7] Tigran Liloyan, "V sluzhbe natsbezopasnosti Armenii podtverdili fakt obnaruzheniya na granitse s Iranom radioaktivnogo predmeta" [Armenia’s national security service confirms the discovery of a radioactive object on the border with Iran], ITAR-TASS, February 26, 2004; in Integrum Techno, <http://www.integrum.com>.
This item originally appeared in the NIS Export Control Observer: <http://www.cns.miis.edu/pubs/nisexcon/indes.htm>.
12 October 2003: Export Control Law Adopted in Armenia
On 21 October 2003, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan signed the law On Control of Export and Transit of Dual-Use Items and Technologies. The new law outlines the principles of state export control policy, describes the obligations and responsibilities of exporters, and regulates relationships between exporters and state agencies. According to Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Tatul Markaryan, the law establishes a legal framework for carrying out export control activities that were previously regulated by a prime ministerial decree.[1,2,3] The law stipulates the establishment of a dual-use item list and creation of a governmental department to be in charge of export control issues.[1] Article 16 of the new law is devoted to transit issues. According to this article, an exporter must submit the following information five days before goods enter Armenia: means of transportation, producer identification, description of goods, end-user identification, and a copy of the license issued by the licensing authorities of the country of origin. According to a June 2003 presentation by an Armenian export control official, supporting regulations will be developed after the adoption of the law.[4] In accordance with the new export control law, the Armenian parliament amended the following laws: On State Borders, On State Customs, and On Organization and Execution of Inspections.[1]
Sources:
[1] "Eksport tovarov i tekhnologiy dvoynogo naznacheniya poluchit v Armenii pravovoye razresheniye" [Armenia to address legislation governing the export of dual use goods and technologies], Armenian Information Agency ARKA, 11 September 2003; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[2] CNS interview with Armenian export control official, 3 June 2003.
[3] "Prezident Armenii podpisal zakon o kontrolye za eksportom tovarov i tekhnologiy dvoynogo naznacheniya" [The president of Armenia signs law on control of dual-use exports and technology], Armenian Information Agency ARKA, 21 October 2003; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com.
[4] Presentation by Armenian export control official at the Seventh Regional Forum on Export Control and Nonproliferation for Central Asian Countries and Caucasus, 2-4 June 2003, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
This item originally appeared in the NIS Export Control Observer: <http://www.cns.miis.edu/pubs/nisexcon/indes.htm>.
9 May 2002: U.S. IMPOSES SANCTIONS ON ARMENIAN ENTITIES
On 9 May 2002, the United States imposed sanctions on the Armenian firm Lizen Open Joint Stock Co. and its owner, Armen Sargsian, for transferring to Iran WMD technology controlled by international export controls. The sanctions prohibit U.S. government procurement from and assistance to the entities as well as purchase by the entities of any item on the U.S. Munitions List or receipt of a license for items controlled under U.S. export regulations and the Export Administration Act of 1979.[1] Lizen chemical plant in Charentsavan, north of Yerevan, for years manufactured a biochemical substance that can be used to produce proteins that increase resistance to nuclear radiation. According to a source quoted in RFE/RL Newsline, the company's equipment was dismantled and sold to Iran in 2001, which could not have been done without the government's knowledge. Plant owner Armen Sargsian, is the brother of former Armenian Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsian.[2]
Sources:
[1] "Iran I: U.S. Publishes List of Sanctioned Entities," Global Security Newswire, 16 May 2002, Nuclear Threat Initiative Web Site, <http://www.nti.org>.
[2] "U.S. Names Armenian Company Suspected of Illicit Technology Transfer to Iran," RFE/RL Newsline, 17 May 2002. {Entered 17 August 2002 YP}
6 May 2001: SPECIALISTS FROM METSAMOR READY TO WORK IN IRAN
At a 6 May 2001 meeting between Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mokhammad Koleini and Metsamor General Director Suren Azatyan, the latter indicated that enlisting specialists from Metsamor to work at Iran's nuclear power plants would facilitate the integration of the region's energy system. He said that Metsamor workers are indeed prepared to work at Iranian facilities, especially during periods when the Armenian plant is idle.
Source:
["V nastoyashcheye vremya sushchestvuyet potrebnost stroitelstva vtoroy linii elektroperedach, svyazyvayushchey energokompleksy Armenii i Irana," Finmarket, 6 May 2001; in Integrum Techno, <http://www.integrum.com>.]{Entered 28 May 2001 KB}
25 July 2000: ARMENIA AND U.S. SIGN NONPROLIFERATION AGREEMENT
On 25 July 2000 Armenian Minister of Defense Serzh Sarkisyan and U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen signed a cooperative agreement on the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction. According to the terms of the agreement, the United States will allocate $300,000 to Armenia for training and equipment.
Source:
["Armeniya i SShA podpisali v Vashingtone soglasheniye o sotrudnichestve v protivodeystvii rasprostraneniyu oruzhiya massovogo unichtozheniya," Interfax, 25 July 2000.]
2 March 1999: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SIGNS LAW ON USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY
On 2 March 1999, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan signed the Law on the Use of Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes, passed by the Armenian National Assembly on 1 February 1999.[1] This new law outlines the procedures for export, import, and storage of nuclear and radioactive materials and radioactive waste. It requires licenses for organizations dealing with nuclear energy, forbids the import of radioactive waste, and prohibits the export of nuclear and radioactive materials, radioactive waste, nuclear equipment, and nuclear technology to countries that have not signed the appropriate international agreements. The law provides for radioactive waste disposal in special facilities, and according to Ashot Martirosyan, head of the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (Armgosatomnadzor), the law might form the legal basis for a nuclear code in the future.[2]
Sources:
[1] Snark, 3 March 1999; in "Kocharyan Signs Law on Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy," FBIS Document FTS19990303001731.
[2] Interfax, 1 February 1999; in "Parliament Passes Law on Use of Nuclear Energy," FBIS Document FTS19990201001137.
31 July 1997: U.S.-ARMENIAN DIALOGUE ON EXPORT CONTROL TAKES PLACE IN YEREVAN
Armenian Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Arsen Gasparyan announced that the United States and Armenia are implementing a security and aid program that includes export and licensing controls and is aimed at preventing smuggling and the spread of nuclear and chemical materials for weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Representatives from the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and the U.S. Departments of Defense, Commerce, and Energy participated in this dialogue in order to increase bilateral and multilateral levels of cooperation. Areas of cooperation include European security within the framework of the Partnership for Peace program and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, European integration (within the OSCE), and arms control and disarmament. The dialogue focuses on creating an effective system of control over WMD, the technologies for producing them, and export of these technologies. The United States has already given Armgosatomnadzor around $7.5 million in aid to enhance security and reliability at the Metsamor nuclear power plant, improve the nuclear energy control system, and develop a management system.
Source:
[Noyan Topan, 31 July 1997; in "Official Says Security Cooperation With U.S. Flourishing," FBIS-SOV-97-213, 1 August 1997.] {entered 11 August 1997 djw}
February 1997: ARMENIAN-BRITISH PROJECT TO IMPROVE CUSTOMS
Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan met in Armenia with representatives of the British firm Inchcape Testing Services. Inchcape will conclude an agreement with the Armenian government to implement a project to improve customs control in Armenia. The new customs system is intended to bring Armenia into conformity with international standards.
Source:
["Armenia to Improve Customs Control," Noyan Topan, 10 February 1997.] {entered 19 February 1997 djw} {Cleared 14 March 1997 JWRL}
December 1994: CUSTOMS DUTIES ON METSAMOR EQUIPMENT REMOVED
The Armenian Council of Ministers decided to remove customs duties on imports of equipment to be used at the Metsamor nuclear power plant.
[Source Book: Soviet Designed Nuclear Power Plants In Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Armenia, The Czech Republic, The Slovak Republic, Hungary and Bulgaria, 4th edition, Nuclear Energy Institute, Washington D.C., 1996, p. 203.]
June 1993: RUSSIA PLEDGES TO ASSIST REPUBLICS TO SET UP EXPORT CONTROLS
Delegations from Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan gathered to develop a joint system for monitoring exports of dual-use technology. Russia drew up national lists of restrictions to assist the republics in establishing their individual export control systems.
[Russian Television Network, 3 June 1993; in "Conference Views Dual-Purpose Technologies, Restrictions," FBIS-SOV-93-106, 4 June 1993, p. 6.]
May 1993: DECREE ON RAW MATERIAL CONTROL FOR WMD SIGNED
Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan signed a decree on the control of raw material, equipment, technology, or services which can be used for weapons of mass destruction. The decree also creates the Commission on Export Control which will work to "fulfill international obligations" on nonproliferation. The Commission will be headed by the Armenian vice-premier; other members are the head of the Department of National Security and the head of the Military and Industrial Commission.
[Snark, 4 May 1993; in "Commission to Oversee Control of Nuclear, Other Weapons," JPRS-TND-93-013, 10 May 1993, pp. 10-11.]
9 February 1993: ARMENIA TO COOPERATE IN EXPORT CONTROLS
Armenia reached an agreement with Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to cooperate in the control of exports of raw materials, equipment, technology, and services which could be used for making weapons of mass destruction.
["Six CIS States Join Forces to Enforce Export Control," ITAR-TASS, 9 February 1993. See also FBIS-SOV-93-026, 10 February 1993.]
Archived Report on Export Controls in Armenia
This report was originally prepared by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies of the Monterey Institute of International Studies in January 1998 under a grant from the United States Department of Energy's Office of Nonproliferation and Arms Control. The views expressed in this report are those of the authors alone, and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Energy or the United States Government.
Introduction
Armenia has demonstrated a willingness to cooperate with other countries in preventing WMD proliferation. It has taken several steps to strengthen its export controls starting with nonproliferation export control decrees dating back to 1993. However, much of the progress that has been made is primarily on paper, and Armenia lacks the trained specialists necessary to effectively implement those export controls already in place.[1]
Armenian industry includes the production of metal cutting machine tools, chemicals, and microelectronics.[2] In addition, the Analitsark Plant in the city of Gyumri produces testing and analytical devices for nuclear power plants. Its clients reportedly include Iran, Yemen, China, Russia, Lithuania, Pakistan, Greece and Turkey.[3] The Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, which was restarted in October 1995 after six years of seismic retrofitting, requires the import of fresh nuclear fuel from Russia.
Armenia borders Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Although the border with Iran is only 35km long, Iran is Armenia's second-largest trading partner. By virtue of its location, Armenia could serve as a conduit for WMD materials being shipped elsewhere.[4] In May 1995 the Azerbaijani press claimed that Russia was planning to secretly transfer some materials via Armenia for nuclear reactors in Iran and use deliveries of fresh fuel to Metsamor as a cover.[5]
In 1997, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry released a statement on Russian-Armenian illicit cooperation. Azerbaijani officials claimed that Russian shipments included missile systems with a range of 300 kilometers capable of carrying nuclear warheads and also about a thousand shoulder-mounted anti-aircraft rockets "Strela." Some sources say that these shipments were made from Russia to Armenia across the Caspian Sea and Iran.[6] Although there is no real evidence of such shipments, this information raises a concern about certain proliferation risks in the region.
Sources:
[1] NISNP Interviews with Armenian Officials, June 1997.
[2] CIA World Fact Book 1996, CIA Homepage, <http://www.odci.gov/>.
[3] Post-Soviet Nuclear and Defense Monitor, 25 April 1995, p. 12.
[4] Cassady Craft, Suzette Glillot, and Liam Anderson, "The Dangerous Ground: Nonproliferation Export-Control Development in the Southern Tier of the Former Soviet Union," in Problems of Post-Communism, Vol. 47, No.6, November/December 2000, pp. 39-51.
[5] Turan, 18 May 1995; in FBIS-SOV-95-097.
[6] Tamara Robinson, "Nonproliferation Approaches in the Caucus," in The Nonproliferation Review, Winter 1998, pp. 111-112 {Entered 17 May 2001 NA}
Administrative Bodies
This section provides brief descriptions of the responsibilities of governmental bodies and agencies that play a significant role in the export control system in Armenia.
Government of Armenia
The Government currently plays a major role in the export control process, as it is responsible for issuing export licenses for sensitive goods. The Prime Minister himself must give his permission for a license to be issued. In addition, the Government contributes to the development of export control policy.[1]
Government Commission on Export Controls
This interagency commission was established in July 1993. It is responsible for reviewing export license applications and submitting its conclusions to the Government. Members include the Deputy Prime Minister, Head of the State Department of National Security, the First Deputy Head of the Military and Industrial Commission, and other Deputy Ministers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Security, the Customs Committee, and other relevant ministries and government bodies. The Commission also includes experts from academies and institutes who help to evaluate license applications.[2]
Ministry of Economy
The Ministry of Economy plays a key role in the export licensing process. It is responsible for the technical processing of license applications, as well as for making preliminary recommendations on license approval or denial to the Government Commission on Export Controls.[2]
Government Commission on Arms Control and Disarmament
This commission was created in the first part of 1997. It will have responsibilities for issues related to weapons of mass destruction– including the formulation of Armenian government policies towards relevant international agreement and treaties. The head of this commission is a Deputy Foreign Minister.[2]
Sources:
[1] Armenian government official, "Strengthening of Export Control System in Armenia," paper prepared for the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey, CA, December 1997.
[2] NISNP Interviews with Armenian Officials, June 1997.
Export Control Legislation
This is not necessarily a complete list of Armenian export control decrees.
Presidential Decree, 1 MAY 1993
This decree called for the establishment of a Government Commission on Export Controls.[1]
Government Resolution NO. 391, 28 JULY 1993
This resolution implemented the May 1993 Presidential Decree, by establishing a Government Commission on Export Controls.[2]
Government Resolution NO. 487, 27 SEPTEMBER 1993, "List of Materials, Substances, Equipment, and Dual-Use Technologies Requiring Export Licenses"
This list includes four categories of items that are subject to export controls:
- nuclear and nuclear-related materials, equipment and technologies;
- bacteriological and poisonous weapons-related materials, equipment and technologies;
- missile-related materials, equipment and technologies; and
- chemical weapon-related materials, equipment and technologies.[2, 3]
Government Resolution NO. 58, 16 FEBRUARY 1996, "Export Control of Industrial Commodities, Machinery, and Other Kinds of Technologies"
This resolution approved the list of industrial commodities of proliferation concern, whose export is controlled.[2]
An interagency group has been created to work on the development of an export control law. The group is comprised of representatives from the National Assembly, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the Customs Committee, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Border Guard Department of the National Security Ministry, and the Government of Armenia.
Sources:
[1] NISNP Interviews with Armenian Officials, June 1997.
[2] Armenian government official, "Strengthening of Export Control System in Armenia," paper prepared for the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey, CA, December 1997.
[3] Cassady Craft, "The Transcaucasus States," Restraining the Spread of the Soviet Arsenal: NIS Nonproliferation Export Controls, Status Report, Center for International Trade and Security, University of Georgia, 1996.
Licensing Process
The licensing process for the export of conventional arms and for nuclear and chemical dual-use items is as follows: An enterprise is required to submit an export license application, including a copy of the export agreement or contract and a certificate of origin of the goods in question, to the Government of Armenia. The Government then forwards this documentation to the Export Control Commission. The commission gives preliminary permission to proceed, and then forwards the application to a working group in the Ministry of Economy for technical processing of the documents. Within the Ministry of Economy, the application is thoroughly reviewed by an Expert Group, which checks the export contract and the specifications of the good to be exported. The Expert Group, which is headed by the Deputy Minister of Economy, then conveys its conclusion regarding license approval or denial to the Government Export Control Commission. The conclusion of the Ministry of Economy's Expert Group is then discussed within the Commission, where representatives from other ministries have the opportunities to discuss possible reservations. For example, representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Security would examine the application taking into account foreign policies and national security concerns, respectively. If the Export Control Commission concludes that an export license should be granted, it forwards its decision to the Government. Within the Government, the Prime Minister himself must grant final permission for the approval of an export license. The license itself is issued by the Government of Armenia. The entire licensing process takes about two to three weeks.[1, 2]
However, according to Armenian government officials, this system is not yet widely implemented within Armenia. There is not yet any special mechanism for regulating the transit of materials through Armenia.[1]
Sources:
[1] NISNP Interviews with Armenian Officials, June 1997.
[2] Armenian government official, "Strengthening of Export Control System in Armenia," paper prepared for the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey, CA, December 1997.
International/Bilateral Agreements
26 June 1992. Armenia became a signatory to the Minsk Accord on CIS Export Control Coordination. In this agreement, the States-Parties agreed to create national export control systems, coordinate their efforts to control exports of materials used in the production of weapons of mass destruction, and create uniform control lists based on existing international export control regimes.[1] As has been the case with many multilateral agreements between CIS countries, however, very little has been done to implement this early attempt to coordinate CIS export control policy. The most recent meeting on CIS export control coordination took place on October 29, 1997. Representatives from CIS states discussed the importance of harmonizing national export control legislation, and proposed the creation of an export control working group under the aegis of the Council of Foreign Ministers of CIS states.[2]
- 19 March 1993. Armenia signed the Chemical Weapons Convention.
- 9 February 1993. Armenia reached an agreement with Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to cooperate in the control of exports of raw materials, equipment, technology, and services that could be used in the creation of a weapon of mass destruction.
- 15 August 1993. Armenia joined the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear weapon state.[3]
- 27 September 1993. Armenia became a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency.[3]
- 5 May 1994. A Safeguards Agreement between Armenia and the International Atomic Energy Agency entered into force.
- 27 January 1995. Armenia ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention.
- March 1996. Armenia and Russia signed a bilateral agreement on developing common policies on export controls.[4]
- 29 September 1997. Armenia became the first country with an operating nuclear power plant to sign the 93+2 program Additional Protocol to its comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA. The Protocol will enter into force upon its ratification by the Armenian Parliament. Pending entry into force, the protocol applies provisionally from the date of its signature.[5]
Armenia is a signatory to the Biological Weapons Convention.
Armenia has participated as an observer in Nuclear Suppliers Group meetings.[6]
Sources:
[1] Minsk Accord on CIS Export Control Coordination, Russian-language version.
[2] Sergei Ryabikin, "Representatives of CIS States Discuss Export Control Over Products Used for the Creation of Mass Destruction Weapons," RIA Novosti Hotline, 29 October 1997.
[3] Tariq Rauf, James Lamson, Shawna McCartney, and Sarah Meek, Inventory of International Nonproliferation Organizations and Regimes, 1996-1997 Edition, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey, CA.
[4] Cassady Craft, "The Transcaucasus States," Restraining the Spread of the Soviet Arsenal: NIS Nonproliferation Export Controls, Status Report, Center for International Trade and Security, University of Georgia, 1996.
[5] Gagik Hovhannisyan, "Strengthening of Export Control System in Armenia," paper prepared for the Center for Nonproliferation Studies Visiting Fellows Program, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey, CA, December 1997.
[6] NISNP Interviews with Armenian Officials, June 1997.
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for
Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and
does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently
verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2008
by MIIS.
