The European Union (EU) countries need to discuss the possible accepting of inmates from the controversial U.S. Guantanamo prison, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak said after meeting with his Czech counterpart Karel Schwarzenberg on Friday.

Schwarzenberg said that if the United States asked the EU to accept some Guantanamo prisoners, the Czech Republic would be considering the request, according to the Czech news agency CTK.

Lajcak said that Slovakia is not dealing with the issue at present. He indicated that his country would make the decision after a possible debate in the EU, CTK added.

After taking office in January, U.S. President Barack Obama ordered the closure of the controversial Guantanamo prison, which is a detention center for terrorist suspects established after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

The European Parliament on Wednesday adopted a resolution to welcome President Obama's decision and asked EU member states to be prepared to accept Guantanamo inmates.

Czech Interior Minister Ivan Langer and European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security Jacques Barrot will visit Washington on March 16 and 17 to negotiate about the future of the Guantanamo prisoners on EU's behalf.

Source: Xinhua