Albania yet to decide on taking Syria’s chemical weapons
Destroying the chemical weapons would bring funding and prestige to Albania, say proponents, but opposition has also grown as environmentalists and local authorities protest against any move to bring the dangerous chemicals to Albania for destruction.
TIRANA, Nov. 7 – Following several articles in the foreign press, Albania’s foreign minister admitted for the first time this week the government has received an official request to participate in the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons, but added the government has yet to decide whether it will participate in the project.
Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati said the United States had asked Tirana to use Albania’s experience and territory to destroy the Syrian chemical arsenal. Bushati made the comments to a French newspaper in Paris after meeting with his French counterpart, Laurent Fabius.
“But we have not yet taken any decision so far,” Bushati told Le Monde, adding Tirana is carefully studying the offer and looking at whether it has the technical abilities to do the job.
Albania presents several advantages for the destruction of these dangerous chemicals, chiefly geographical access and experience in destroying its own Communist-era chemical weapons in 2007 with the help of the United States.
But Albania’s arsenal was far smaller than what Syria has, experts say.
The proposal has been met with concern in certain circles in Albania, however. Environmentalists and other activists – organized in social media networks — have come out in force against any such move, with a demonstration taking part in front of the prime minister’s office on Thursday. Environmentalists say they will seek a referendum against any such move. The AKIP Alliance, a group of green activists have also issued an official letter to authorities expressing its concerns over the proposal, adding they oppose it on grounds that it might endanger the lives of Albanians and the country’s enviroment.
Local authorities in the Elbasan region – the location of the military facility likely to be used for the destruction of the weapons – also urged the central government not to take on the destruction of the weapons.
The political opposition has stayed mostly quiet, but former Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu told the media Albanians had little to do with the destruction of the country’s own arsenal as it was part of an assistance program from the United States, with American financing and running the operation. “We’ve got no experience,” Mediu told journalists.
American and Russian media outlets reported last week that Albania is seen as a likely candidate to destroy some or all of Syria’s stockpile of chemical weapons, after its success in eliminating its own communist-era stockpile.
Albania, Belgium and France appear to be the most likely options, according to media reports. In 2007, Albania was the world’s first to destroy all of its chemical arms in verifiable fashion, eliminating more than 16 metric tons of mustard gas and other toxic agents. It did so during a six-month period. But Syria’s stockpile is much larger, experts said.
Some experts say Tirana would make good money from the destruction and would be a good international citizen to help. However, others argue that Albania’s lower technical and security expertise could present problems.
In order to avoid military intervention from NATO, Syria publicly acknowledged its chemical stockpile and agreed to turn it over to international authorities. The tons of lethal toxins would likely be moved out of Syria by military aircraft or ship.
