Hotel Holiday Inn hosted Meeting of Interagency Coordination Board for the Fight Against Chemical, Biological, Radioactive and Nuclear Hazards, where board representatives presented one year report within CBRN National risk mitigation 2015-2018 action plan. The document was elaborated with the support of the UN, EU and the United States and was adopted in March, 2015. Georgia is the first among EU partner countries to elaborate and adopt the above-mentioned document.
According to the UNICRI representative Francesco Miorin, the elaboration of national strategies for nuclear risk mitigation by Georgia, is the model for other countries, which will be followed. Georgian experts assist other countries in the region to elaborate the action plan and this process is very important for us. I would like to emphasize, that regional cooperation is the most important in terms of CBRNR risk mitigation, because a country can not operate only by itself and control the material spread”.
During the board meeting, the parties also discussed practical activities carried out by State Security Sevice of Georgia in the field of CBRN Security. It was mentioned that from 1st August 2015, SSG revealed 4 fact of illegal circulation of nuclear material. Among them, there were two cases of low enriched and depleted uranium smuggling incidents. Oveall 19 personas are detained and relevant investigation activities are on the way, that was apreciated by relevant agencies of partner countries. The Uranium Seizure facts were of the prior improtance during the board meeting. Experts once more highlighted the improtance that the case was solved and positively assessed the work carried out by the officers of SSG.
The Board meeting was opened by head of information-analytical department Irakli Beraia. Following the separation of SSG from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, State Security Service of Georgia presides the interagency council. The meeting brought together the the deputy heads of Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia, heads of departments from the State Security Service of Georgia, Ministry of of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health and Public Affairs, as well as the head of National Center for Disease Control and and Public Health. The meeting was also attended by representatives from the US Embassy, UN Delegation and UNICRI. The event was supported by UNICRI.
The action plan highlights issues of nuclear and radiation safety and biological security, as well as chemical component against the spread of weapons and materials of mass destruction, waste management, raising awareness, infrastructure development, enhancing the opportunities of the relevant agencies through trainings and equipping, implementation of UN relevant resolutions (Nations Security Resolution 1540) and implementation of other International legislative instruments and obligations in the scope of international cooperation. The document comprises of 30 priorities and 118 activities and is focused on such components of risk mitigation as as prevention, detection, preparedness and response.
