Protest against proposal for Albania to take some of Syria's chemical weapons
(15 Nov 2013) Albania on Friday rejected a request from the United States for the tiny impoverished Balkan nation to host the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile, a major blow to international efforts to destroy the arsenal by mid-2014. In a televised address, Prime Minister Edi Rama said it was "impossible for Albania to take part in this operation." The announcement was greeted by a loud cheer from some 2,000 protesters camped outside Rama's office who opposed the plan to dismantle the weapons in Albania. Protesters had gathered overnight, to demand that Albania rejects the plan. The protest was made up of mainly young people, who waved banners and chanted, "no to chemical weapons." The US threatened military action against Syria after a chemical gas attack in Damascus in August left hundreds of people dead. Under a subsequent deal brokered by Russia, it was agreed that the Syrian regime would give up its chemical weapons stockpile and that the weapons should be destroyed outside Syria if possible. Albania, a NATO member, was seen as a possible choice since it recently destroyed its own poison gas arsenal. "We are not prepared and we have no possibilities, no capacities and no specialists to do this kind of experiment, let's say it," said protester Tomor Luzati. Another protester said, "There will be no more economy in Albania, there will be no exports, there will be no tourism. It will be a dead place." Any destruction of Syria's weapons, wherever it happens, will be overseen by experts from the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which won the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this year for its efforts to eradicate poison gas and nerve agents around the world. The Syrian disarmament operation started more than a month ago with inspections and the demolition of machinery used to mix chemicals and fill empty munitions, ending the regime's capability to make new weapons. Albania, a member of NATO, is one of only three nations worldwide that has declared a chemical weapons stockpile to the OPCW and destroyed it. Nations including the United States and Russia also have declared stockpiles, but have not yet completed their destruction. However, Albania was a controversial choice. The country of 2.8 (m) million people descended into anarchy in 1997 following the collapse of shady investment schemes that cost many Albanians their life savings. Also, in March 2008, an explosion at Gerdec near the capital, Tirana, killed 26 people, wounded 300 others and destroyed or damaged 5,500 houses. Investigators said it was caused by a burning cigarette in a factory where some 1,400 tons of explosives, mostly obsolete artillery shells, were stored for disposal. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
