"We would like to move as much of the population of Guantanamo out as soon as we possibly can," Rice said while speaking with reporters in Algiers after meeting with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. "We would like to, but we also have to remember that we have an obligation not to have dangerous people on the streets."

She said transfers to home countries would be "rigorous" to get "the protections that we need and that the detainees need."

Dozens of suspected Islamist extremists from Algeria and other North African countries are believed held at the U.S. Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba as "unlawful combatants." The status of dozens of others returned to their native countries is unclear, with some believed jailed indefinitely.

Rice visited Algeria and neighboring Tunisia a day after holding a historic meeting with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in Tripoli.

In Tunis, Rice discussed the fight against terrorism and U.S.-Tunisian relations with President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the Tunisian News Agency reported.

Rice said the talks were effective and enhanced longstanding good relations between Tunis and Washington.