Guantanamo 'will not close during Bush presidency'

Guantanamo Bay will stay open beyond the end of George Bush's presidency despite his desire to close it, the White House said tonight.

Presidential spokesman Tony Snow also acknowledged that US defence secretary Robert Gates, shortly after taking office last year, had argued for shutting down the US terror detention camp on Cuba quickly.

Gates raised his concerns with US attorney general Alberto Gonzales but deferred to his arguments for keeping Guantanamo open, Snow said.

Bush has said he wants to close Guantanamo if certain conditions can be met.

But Snow said it was unlikely that Guantanamo would be closed during Bush's presidency, because conducting military commissions for the most-dangerous remaining detainees and resolving where to put others will take some time.

"It's highly unlikely that you can dispense with all those cases between now and the end of the administration," Snow said.

"We have tried as best we can to move those who are in Guantanamo either to their home nations, or nations where they are wanted for other trial or justice dispensation," the spokesman said.