The trial of 19 Belgians on terrorism charges began Monday under tight security amid concerns the 15 men and 4 women were part of a local jihadist recruitment network.

They face charges of either fighting alongside jihadist groups in Somalia, having attempted to go to Somalia or Syria, or of having provided support to a Belgian-based recruitment operation.

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders expressed hope Sunday that Iran's nuclear negotiations with world powers could lead to the restoration of trust between Tehran and the West.

"I hope relationships that are based on trust will be revived with the nuclear negotiations and when a clear, final agreement is reached," Reynders said in a press conference with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Brussels accused Bosnian politicians on Tuesday after negotiations on the Balkan country's bid to join the EU collapsed over the implementation of a key European Court of Human Rights' ruling.

"The result of last night's meeting of the parties' leaders on implementation of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the Sejdic and Finci case was so deeply disappointing," Fuele told reporters in Sarajevo.

More than 20 of the 200 or so Belgian Islamists who have left for Syria to fight President Bashar Assad's regime have been killed, Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said Monday.

"More than 200 people have been clearly identified or are being identified... Most have joined the most extremist groups, including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)," an al-Qaida-linked group, Reynders said in a newspaper interview.

High winds and heavy rain battered parts of Europe on Monday, leaving at least two people dead and one man lost at sea off France, and disrupting travel two days from Christmas.

In Britain, a man was found dead in a swollen river in northwest England where the water was "fast flowing, and a lot more water than normal", said Inspector Chis Wright of the Cumbria police, adding: "It's fair to say that the weather contributed to the problem."

Belgian Defense Minister Pieter De Crem on Monday said he was "not favorable" to destroying part of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal in Belgium.

Belgium, along with France and Albania, were contacted by the United States as possible sites for the dismantling of Syria's more than 1,000-tonne arsenal. Albania has since refused to take part.

Around 20,000-30,000 Bulgarians took part in political rallies for and against the embattled Socialist government on Saturday, according to a media tally.

Some 10,000-15,000 gathered in the capital Sofia in support of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski, who has braved months of demonstrations calling for him to resign.

Albania Friday rejected a U.S. request to host the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons, in a new setback for the internationally-backed disarmament plan three weeks after Norway also said no.

"It is impossible for Albania to take part in such an operation... as it has no capacity" to carry out such a task, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama told reporters.

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora said Lebanon's political process was being slowed down by several obstacles including the use of arms by certain factions.

In remarks to Asharq al-Awsat newspaper published on Friday, Saniora said: “The slowness in the current political process in Lebanon goes back to (many) obstacles, the resort of some (parties) to weapons, and the attempt to use Lebanon as a forum to serve regional and international” policies.

Belgium said Saturday it had raised the standing of a Palestinian diplomatic delegation to the country to "mission" status in a show of commitment to a two-state solution in the Middle East.

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders confirmed the change from "general delegation" to "mission" after signing an agreement during a bilateral meeting with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas during a visit to Jordan.