Madrid - Spain will take a maximum of three inmates from the US prison facility in Guantanamo, Cuba, government sources said Thursday.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was due to inform US President Barack Obama about the number and identities of the selected inmates when visiting the White House on Tuesday.

Initially, the US administration had asked Spain to take at least four prisoners, the sources said.

Since then, however, Spain had "rigorously" selected suitable candidates, in line with the policies of other European Union countries that were helping the United States to close the facility at Guantanamo.

The arrival of the candidates should not violate Spanish law, the sources explained. Other conditions were that they should not have been charged with any crimes, not have criminal records in any EU country, and Spain needed to be able to receive them in adequate security conditions.

Zapatero's visit to Washington was expected to seal a reconciliation between Spain and the United States after relations cooled under Obama's predecessor George W Bush.

Zapatero angered Bush by recalling Spanish troops from Iraq after taking office in 2004, and Bush never met the Spanish premier bilaterally. (dpa)