Norway rules out destroying Syrian chemical arms on its soil

OSLO - Agence France-Presse

United Nations vehicles are parked in front of the Four Seasons hotel, where a team of experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons are staying, in downtown Damascus October 22, 2013. REUTERS photo

Norway said Friday it would not be able to accommodate a request from the United States to help destroy Syria's chemical arsenal on its soil, saying the schedule was too tight.

"With the understanding of the United States we have concluded that... it's no longer appropriate to consider Norway as a site for the destruction (of the weapons)," Foreign Minister Boerge Brende said.

He said the decision was made based on the obligations laid out in the UN resolution foreseeing the destruction of the weapons.