BRUSSELS, Nov 18: US Secretary of State Colin Powell came under pressure on Tuesday to resolve the open-ended detention of 26 Europeans among foreign nationals at the US military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

“I know that this is a subject much in the mind of European governments,” Mr Powell told a news conference after what he said had been extensive discussions in Brussels with foreign ministers of the European Union’s 25 current and future members.

“They have expressed these concerns to me before, but they reinforced the need for us to resolve these cases as quickly as we can, and I will be taking that message back.”

There are some 660 detainees at the US naval base who are being held without charge or access to families and lawyers.

Among the European nations that have citizens held at Camp Delta are Spain, Britain, Denmark, Sweden and France.

Spain last week branded the open-ended detention of prisoners a “major error”.

Another ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, is hoping to clinch a deal on British detainees at the camp during the US president’s visit to London. There are 10 Britons among the prisoners, and London has complained about plans to try some under special military tribunals.

Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller told a news conference after the EU meeting with Mr Powell that the uncertainty could not be allowed to go on.—Reuters