Accra, July 21, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday granted audience to the visiting Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip at the Castle, Osu.

He was in the country to attend the 30th Triennial Conference of the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League. Delegations of veterans from all the Commonwealth member nations are in Accra, the national capital, for the five-day event. The meeting between President Kufuor and Prince Philip was held behind closed doors.

He departs for London Monday night and is expected to be seen off at the Jubilee Lounge of the Kotoka International Airport by the Ghanaian Head of State.

Earlier, President Kufuor met with the Governor-General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sir Fredrick Ballantyne, and both leaders pledged their resolve to promote closer ties between their two countries. President Kufuor said Africa and those in the diaspora needed to connect and work together to lift themselves and improve their socio-economic conditions.

"We have to accept history as we have it since we cannot reverse it. Through connections, we could work together for our mutual benefit."

President Kufuor observed that Ghana and the Caribbean Island with a population of 110,000 shared the common values in terms of democracy, respect for rule of law and good governance. Ghana has since 1992 gone through four successful democratic elections and is hoping to have another peaceful, transparent, free and fair poll in the coming December. Sir Ballantyne said his country was eager to forge formal relations with Ghana to promote friendship and mutually rewarding co-operation between the peoples of the two countries. They were in the process of opening a Mission in Accra by next month. 21 July 2008