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The Joe Biden administration is committed to the responsible closure of the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, State Department spokesman Ned Price said Thursday.
"With respect to Guantanamo, we remain dedicated to a deliberate and thorough process focused on the responsible reduction of the detainee population at Guantanamo Bay and the eventual closure of the facility," Price said in a dialogue with reporters.
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He added that the State Department is seeking to identify and negotiate transfer agreements with other countries for eligible detainees.
The Guantánamo detention center, created by the George Bush administration in 2002, has long been criticized for mistreatment and abuse of prisoners, prompting human rights activists and international organizations to call for its closure.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama (2009-2017) promised to close the detention center but faced strong opposition from Congress.
His successor, Donald Trump (2017-2021), signed an order to keep the detention camp open indefinitely, while the current president, Joe Biden, also promised to close it.
Since his inauguration, U.S. authorities closed the notorious "Camp Seven" at Guantanamo Bay, where highly classified prisoners were held, and moved them to other blocks.
In July, the White House announced that the Biden administration intends to close the detention center permanently and work to transfer the remaining prisoners out, but no date has been set.
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