The Taoiseach was today asked to raise the issue of European nationals imprisoned without trial at Guantanamo Bay at the EU-US summit that is due to take place Dublin in June.
The call came as the European Parliament demanded the United States give captives at the US military base in Cuba the right to a trial.
The Liberal Democrat leader in the European parliament, Mr Graham Watson, called on Mr Ahern to raise at the summit the issue of the 20 or so remaining European nationals at Guantanamo.
The parliament also passed by 425 votes to 62 a non-binding resolution demanding Washington "immediately put an end to the current legal limbo" of detainees being held at the US base in Cuba.
"Every prisoner should be tried without undue delay in a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal," the parliament said.
The resolution said the US fight against terrorism "cannot be waged at the expense of basic shared values, such as the respect for human rights and civil liberties, a situation that is currently happening at Guantanamo Bay."
EU governments have yet to reach a joint position on the Guantanamo detainees, preferring instead to deal bilaterally with the United States to secure the release of nationals from the base.
Additonal reporting Reuters
