An Albanian student wears a gas mask and holds a sign during a protest against chemical weapons during a protest against the dismantling of Syrian chemical weapons in Albania in front of the Prime Minister’s office in Tirana Thursday Nov. 14, 2013. Albania, a member of NATO, has said it is studying a request by the United States to host facilities for destroying Syria’s chemical weapons, but has not yet taken a decision. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Albania
Demonstrators protest against the dismantling of Syrian chemical weapons in Albania in front of the Prime Minister’s office in Tirana Thursday Nov. 14, 2013. Albania, a member of NATO, has said it is studying a request by the United States to host facilities for destroying Syria’s chemical weapons, but has not yet taken a decision. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Albania
A demonstrator wearing a gas mask waves an Albanian flag during a protest against the dismantling of Syrian chemical weapons in Albania in front of the Prime Minister’s office in Tirana Thursday Nov. 14, 2013. Albania, a member of NATO, has said it is studying a request by the United States to host facilities for destroying Syria’s chemical weapons, but has not yet taken a decision. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Macedonia Protest
People wearing gas masks and posters reading “Stop to the chemical weapons” and “United against the poison” protest in front of the Albanian Embassy in Skopje, Macedonia, on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. The protests in Macedonia are supporting separate protest groups in Albania, who reject plans to destroy Syrian chemical weapons in Albania. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Macedonia Syria Chemical Weapons Protest
A man helps a woman to put a gas mask on, during a protest in front of the Albanian Embassy in Skopje, Macedonia, on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. The protests in Macedonia are supporting separate protest groups in Albania, who reject plans to destroy Syrian chemical weapons in Albania. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Macedonia Syria Chemical Weapons Protest
People wearing gas masks and posters reading “Stop to the chemical weapons” during a protest in front of the Albanian Embassy in Skopje, Macedonia, on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. The protests in Macedonia are supporting separate protest groups in nearby Albania, who reject plans to destroy Syrian chemical weapons in Albania. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
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TIRANA, Albania (AP) — About 5,000 Albanians demonstrated on Thursday against a reported plan for Syrian chemical weapons to be destroyed in their country.
“No to chemical weapons!” the protesters chanted outside Parliament and the prime minister’s office in Tirana, the capital.
Discussions have been underway for weeks at the Hague headquarters of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons about how to destroy Syria’s stockpile of poison gas, nerve agents and chemicals.
Western nations and Damascus are believed to favor destroying the weapons in another country. Albania is apparently among possible venues because it has already destroyed its own stockpile.
The protesters questioned whether that can safely be done in their country and whether it would undermine efforts to boost their tourism.
A similar protest was held in neighboring Macedonia by members of an ethnic Albanian rights group.
The dozens of demonstrators rallied outside the Albanian Embassy in Skopje, their capital. Macedonia’s green party, the Democratic Renewal of Macedonia, said officials should urge Albania to reject the reported plan, saying it would endanger the environment.
In Tirana, Albanian officials said no decision has been reached about whether their nation will take part in such an effort.
