Barack Obama will issue an executive order within days of entering the White House to close the Guantanamo detention centre, senior advisers have confirmed.
Mr Obama, who is due to be inaugurated as US president on 20 January, has repeatedly promised to close the camp, where some 250 inmates remain.
The signing of the order is unlikely to be followed by immediate closure.
On Sunday, Mr Obama indicated that closing Guantanamo was a "challenge" and would take time.
"It is more difficult than I think a lot of people realise," Mr Obama told the ABC TV network.
"We're going to get it done, but part of the challenge that you have is that you have got a bunch of folks that have been detained, many of whom may be very dangerous, who have not been put on trial or have not gone through some adjudication."
These comments sparked questions as to whether Mr Obama would keep his campaign promise on Guantanamo, so his advisers are now letting it be known that he intends to act quick...
