Washington  - US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has ordered aides to begin drawing up a plan to close the prison for suspects in the war on terrorism at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Pentagon said Thursday.

Gates wants to be prepared to move quickly if president-elect Barack Obama, who has pledged to close Guantanamo, makes it an earlier priority after taking office on January 20, spokesman Geoff Morrell said.

"He has asked his team for a proposal on how to shut it down, what would be required specifically to close it and move the detainees from that facility," Morrell said. (dpa)