Brussels: Not a single European Union nation came forward on Monday offering to host the destruction of Syria's poison gas stockpile, with many instead calling for the arsenal to be eradicated close to Syria itself.
Belgium had been considered a strong candidate after the withdrawal of Albania, but Belgian foreign minister Didier Reynders said that "we have to find a way to send experts and the technology on site".
"To transport them over long distances to bring them on our soil — we do not really see how to do that, and not only in Belgium, also in other European states," Reynders said, highlighting a reluctance found across the 28 EU nations.
"There is no member state that has come forward in saying 'OK, give us the stuff'," said Dutch foreign minister Frans Timmermans.
After Albania refused to take on the task Friday, Belgium — as well as France — had been considered possible candidates, if only because Belgium has a long history of destroying the gas arsenal from World War I.
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