U.S. President Barack Obama will fulfill his promise to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by January next year, the White House said Monday.

Asked if the promise could be kept, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs gave the positive answer at a daily briefing.

"Absolutely. ... I think you've seen over the past few weeks progress, particularly with statements by the European Union and individual countries in their desire to share the responsibility of settling transferred detainees," he said.

Obama signed an executive order in January to close the prison within one year but he is facing a number of legal and political problems during the process.

However, recent polls showed that most Americans are opposed to shutting down the Guantanamo prison, fearing prisoners there could be moved to U.S. soil after the prison's closure.

Source: Xinhua