President Barack Obama.

US President Barack Obama vowed yesterday that harsh interrogation methods will not take place on his watch, saying the techniques did significant damage to American interests abroad without serving broad counterterrorism efforts.

Obama issued a written statement in response to a Senate report that detailed interrogation procedures carried out on terrorism suspects in the years after the September 11, 2001, attacks.

“Rather than another reason to refight old arguments, I hope that today’s report can help us leave these techniques where they belong, in the past,” Obama said.

Obama said the Senate report documents a troubling programme involving enhanced interrogation techniques on suspects in secret facilities outside the United States.

“It reinforces my long-held view that these harsh methods were not only inconsistent with our values as a nation, they did not serve our broader counterterrorism efforts or our national security interests,” he said.

The methods did significant damage to America’s standing in the world and made it harder to pursue US interests with allies and partners, Obama said.

“That is why I will continue to use my authority as President to make sure we never resort to those methods again,” he said.