A Canadian government source says U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon and talked about the fate of the last Western detainee at Guantanamo Bay.

The official said Friday they discussed Canadian Omar Khadr and what options there are should Khadr reach a plea deal with the Pentagon to settle charges that he allegedly killed a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan.

Khadr's lawyers have said a potential deal is in the works. The Canadian government official says the U.S. is looking to terminate the case early. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

The official described the talks as preliminary, a sounding out.