WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Obama administration will likely miss its deadline to close the controversial Guantanamo prison by Jan. 22 next year, according to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

    "I think it has proven more complicated than anticipated," Gates told CNN in an interview broadcast on Sunday.

    "If you have to extend that date, if at least you have a strong plan showing you're making progress in that direction, then this --it shouldn't be a problem to extend it and we'll just see whether that has to happen or not," he said.

    In a separate interview shown on ABC, Gates said sticking to the original deadline to shut down the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, would be "tough."

    On Friday, two senior administration officials told reporters that the prison was unlikely to close by the deadline set by President Barack Obama after he was sworn in as president in January.

    They cited legal problems for the delay, but said they were still optimistic about shutting the facility soon.

    The likely postponement would deal a blow to Obama, who ordered the closing of the prison during his first week in office.

    The Guantanamo prison was opened in 2002, with 223 detainees having left.