No Guantanamo closure

US President George W Bush has turned down a request by German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the US should close its detention facility in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, saying it is a ‘‘necessary part of protecting the American people.’’

The detention centre is seen in Europe as a symbol of the administration’s excesses in the war against terror. which houses some 500 foreign-born prisoners. ng with Merkel. The White House has had some testy relationship with Merkel’s predecessor and has been anxious to mend fences with a major power in Europe. Both leaders are said to have exchanged views in a friendly and a candid fashion on a wide range of issues, including Guantanamo Bay. — Reuters