Obama: Closing Guantanamo is a national priority

US President Barack Obama signed the defense budget bill for next year on Friday, criticizing provisions that maintain the ban on closing the Guantanamo prison, with the danger of "endangering the national security" of the United States, foreign media write, reports Patria.

- The Guantanamo prison undermines our national security by draining our resources, spoiling our relations with allies, and inciting extremist violence. Closing this prison is a national priority - Obama said, according to a White House statement.

According to this defense budget bill worth more than $500 billion, restrictions on closing Guantanamo in Cuba are extended. The ban on transferring prisoners to the US, introduced in 2011, has been extended, despite the US president's opposition.

- I call on members of both parties (Democrats and Republicans) to cooperate to end this chapter of American history - Obama emphasized.