The facility has been a source of sharp criticism of the US, especially from the EU.

Some detainees have already been settled in Bermuda and Albania, which is not a member of the bloc. Spain and Ireland are among other countries open to accepting some of the more than 200 detainees who remain locked up at the camp on the naval installation in Cuba.

Wood said the US and Portugal were still working on the details to transfer custody. The Portuguese foreign ministry announced earlier on its website that it had reached a deal with Washington to take the prisoners.