Speaking on Croatian Radio, he said that according to his information, the transloading was "very safe" and that it could be done in an Adriatic port. He said that "if we belong to a bloc, and we do, and want to achieve a global goal... the destruction of poisonous chemical in the Mediterranean, we can actively participate in it. Of course, with the assumption, which must be analysed, that the transloading will be absolutely harmless."
Asked to comment on media speculation that the transloading was a trade-off for Croatia to get back oil fields in Syria, the minister said he knew nothing about it.
Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic told a Cabinet meeting on Thursday that Croatia was expected to make a contribution to the transloading of substances used in the production of chemical weapons. He said the government would decide on the matter and that the public would be informed of the entire process.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), of which Croatia is a member, is looking for a country to "host" the destruction of Syria's chemical arsenal. Albania has refused to participate because of public pressure. The transloading is expected to last a couple of days under OPCW's supervision.
OPCW will unveil a plan for the destruction of Syrian chemical weapons on December 17, so it is too early to talk about the possible participation of Croatia in that process, Hina learned from the Hague-based organisation on Thursday.
The United States Embassy in Zagreb welcomed Croatia's consideration of possible involvement in the operation.