"Slovenia is very concerned over the developments in Syria. We resolutely condemn the use of chemical weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction," Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec told the press after the session.

According to Erjavec, the international community cannot just peacefully observe and accept the use of chemical weapons, which has hurt primarily the civilian population in Syria.

"Slovenia has been maintaining the position that a political solution should be found for the crisis in Syria," the minister said after the session of the body advising government on issues of the country's security.

Erjavec noted that diplomatic efforts for a solution to the Syria crisis were taking place, and that the UN Security Council had met several times, "failing however to come to an agreement on how to prevent this crisis and its humanitarian consequences".

Defence Minister Roman Jakič added that Syria was being discussed today by the NATO Council in Brussels. "We expect to get information from there about the development of the situation."

Erjavec stressed that Slovenia strongly supported a political process, pointing to the plans for a peace conference in Geneva. "We hope that we will prevent further use of chemical weapons by means of international instruments."

Jakič added that there were at least 19 members of the Slovenian Armed Forces stationed in the region - five soldiers on the Golan Heights and 14 soldiers in Lebanon as part of the UNIFIL mission.

The National Security Council, which comprises of the prime minister, the ministers of the foreign affairs, the interior, defence, justice and finance, the government secretary general and the director of the intelligence agency SOVA, met at the first session under the new government today.

When the council discusses national security issues, its sessions are also attended by the president of the republic, parliamentary speaker, the head of the biggest opposition party in parliament and representatives of other state bodies.