Washington, Aug 8 (DPA) Portugal has agreed to resettle two Syrian Guantanamo Bay detainees to assist in US President Barack Obama’s plan to close the controversial prison camp by next year, the US State Department confirmed Friday.
Portugal would become the third country in the European Union (EU) to accept Guantanamo prisoners, along with Britain and France.
“We are encouraged that our close friends and allies are also considering assisting us in our efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facilities,” State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood said.
Obama has pledged to close the prison by the end of January as he attempts to rebuild the US image in the world. The facility has been a source of sharp criticism of the US, especially from the EU.
Some detainees have already been settled in Bermuda and Albania, which is not a member of the bloc. Spain and Ireland are among other countries open to accepting some of the more than 200 detainees who remain locked up at the camp on the naval installation in Cuba.
Wood said the US and Portugal were still working on the details to transfer custody. The Portuguese foreign ministry announced earlier on its website that it had reached a deal with Washington to take the prisoners.
