Brussels, 24/08/2009 (Agence Europe) - Several European states have given the US government assurances that they would take in former Guantanamo detainees, the Washington Post reported on Thursday 20 August. In all, nine EU countries are in discussions on accepting former prisoners, the paper says, quoting US administration officials speaking anonymously. Four of these countries have undertaken to take in prisoners who are due for release and five others are considering the possibility, the paper says. Portugal stated at the start of August that it would take two Syrians being held at the Guantanamo military base. The two will be taken in on humanitarian grounds and will be issued with special visas. In June, the US asked Spain to accept five former detainees and Ireland to take in two, with Hungary to take one or two and Italy at least three. Since January 2009, an Ethiopian residing in the United Kingdom has been released in the UK and an Algerian in France. There are currently 229 prisoners in the detention centre set up in an American base in Cuba. US President Barack Obama has ordered that the camp be closed by 22 January 2010. (B.C./transl.rt)