germany says close prison

German Chancellor calls on US to close Guantanamo prison
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BERLIN, Jan 8 (KUNA) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Sunday on the US to close its prison in Guantanamo, Cuba, where suspects of international terrorism have been detained.

"Such a facility as in Guantanamo has no right to exist in its present form, " she told the German weekly magazine Der Spiegel.

"It is necessary to find other means and ways for dealing with prisoners of war," said Merkel in a press conference held after a closed-door meeting of her party.

Merekel, who intends to pay her first official visit to the US on January 12, said that she would raise this topic at talks with US President George Bush.