Brussels, 12/01/2010 (Agence Europe) - The United States has given up on its plans to close the Guantanamo detention camp before the end of January 2010, with European countries struggling to provide the expected level of assistance in taking in former detainees. At the present moment, only around 14 detainees have been formally accepted by Schengen Area and cooperating countries: Italy (3), France (2), Portugal (2), Ireland (2), United Kingdom (1), Sweden (1), Belgium (1), Hungary (1) and Switzerland (1). A number of countries, including Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany and Switzerland, are considering whether or not to take in others. The latest country to come out in favour of accepting former prisoners is Spain. Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Migel Ángel Moratinos said on Monday 11 January that Spain was currently finalising procedures for accepting two former Guantanamo detainees. “When President Barack Obama decided to close the moral and ethical anachronism that is the Guantanamo prison camp, we pledged to help him (…) and for that reason, we have agreed to take in two former prisoners,” he said. Obama promised, on his coming to power, to close the facility by January 2010. However, less than two weeks from this deadline, Guantanamo still has 198 detainees, and the cessation of returns to Yemen could further slow the process. Closure of the camp may even be delayed until 2011 to give the Federal government time to purchase and refit the Illinois Prison that is scheduled to house the remaining prisoners. (B.C./transl.rt)