United States President Barack Obama has admitted for the first time that his administration will miss the January 2010 deadline he set for closing the Guantanamo Bay prison.
In interviews with an American television network, Mr Obama said he still hoped to achieve that goal sometime next year, but refused to set a new deadline.
He said closing the facility was technically difficult and depended on co-operation from Congress.
Officials are trying to determine what to do with some 215 detainees still held at the US prison in Cuba, the BBC reports.
His administration says it will try some detainees in US courts and repatriate or resettle others not perceived as a threat.
