The Nordic countries have yet to make a joint decision on expelling Syrian diplomats, the Finnish Foreign Ministry says.

Many countries have done so following the recent bloodbath in the town of Houla, in which more than 105 civilians – mostly women and children – were massacred.

Damascus does not have an ambassador to Finland. Syria’s mission in Stockholm is responsible for the entire Nordic region.

“We have not yet made any kind of decisions on this,” says Heikki Tuunanen, deputy director of the ministry’s Middle Eastern affairs department. “Many countries have already moved quite far along and given Syrian ambassadors and other staff members various deadlines to leave their countries.”

EU talks inconclusive so far

The EU countries are negotiating on a common policy in Brussels.

“This is being coordinated among the EU states, which are considering whether they can agree on a common mode of operation. Certainly they will take a stand on this as soon as possible,” says Tuunanen.

At least half a dozen EU nations, including France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria, are expelling Syrian ambassadors and/or other diplomats. So are the North American countries and Australia among others.

The U.S. joined more than a dozen nations Tuesday in expelling Syrian diplomats.

"This is a political measure. This is a statement of our extreme disapproval and horror at the massacre," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said after Washington informed the top-ranked Syrian diplomat that he had 72 hours to leave the country.