Albania undecided on whether to destroy Syria chemical arms on its soil

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said Tuesday that his country has yet to decide on whether to destroy chemical weapons from Syria on its soil amid strong protests from environmental groups.

"Until these moments there is not any decision," Rama told reporters.

He confirmed a 30-minute talk with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

Albania, along with France and Belgium, have been contacted by the United States for help to dismantle Syria's entire chemical arsenal, estimated at about 1,000 tonnes, according to media reports.

Some Albanians oppose the move, saying it would damage the environment and thwart efforts to market Albania as an emerging tourist destination.

Also on Tuesday, Parliament Speaker Ilir Meta said he was confident any decision on the matter would be made transparently and should take into account demands from the civil society and activist groups.

"I want to express my confidence that any decision on the issue will be made transparently, which means that Albania has always shown it is a country ready to contribute to peace and security," Meta told reporters.

Under UN Security Council Resolution 2118 passed in September, Syria's entire chemical arsenal is to be destroyed by June 30.

Norway refused to help destroy the arms on its soil late last month, saying the schedule was too tight.