EU nations back move to close Gitmo

Agence France-Presse

Legal procedures differ in each of the 27 European Union nations and defining a common stance on the way the 245 inmates should be hosted is virtually impossible. "It is not an easy question and it is up to each state how they will decide," said Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency.

Strong commitment
"I think that we should show a strong commitment to cooperate with the new U.S. administration to close Guantanamo," said Portugal's PMLuis Amado, who has led calls to help Obama. Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said the EU could face legal obstacles over refugee and humanitarian issues if some inmates apply for asylum or if they are considered at risk of persecution in their home countries. "If there are some people who are not tried in the U.S. in national tribunals and they get a refugee status, we'll have to look at that individually," he said.

The EU also has to "look at this from a humanitarian, human rights perspective. If there are people who were not tried they are free but can't go back to their own country. Europe should take our responsibility," he added.