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France offers to take a Gitmo detainee

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Published: April 4, 2009 at 1:23 AM

PARIS, April 4 (UPI) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday his country would agree to take a single Guantanamo detainee, apparently one with ties to France.

Sarkozy made the announcement during President Barack Obama's visit to Paris, The Miami Herald reported.

Obama plans to close the camp, and Sarkozy said he would like to make that task easier. He said the camp is "not in keeping with U.S. values."

One problem is finding countries willing to take detainees who have been deemed not to be a danger but who cannot be returned to their home countries because they might be tortured or killed. They include a number of Chinese Uighurs.

Human Rights Watch, in a statement, urged European Union members to respond to Obama's appeal to take detainees.

"The Obama administration can't solve the Guantanamo problem on its own," said Joanne Mariner, terrorism and counterterrorism director at Human Rights Watch. "European allies have long urged the US to close Guantanamo. Now they have a chance to help make that happen."

Topics: Barack Obama, Joanne Mariner
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