Kumasi, Nov.21, GNA - Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, General-Secretary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), on Thursday paid a courtesy call Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

Mr. Schneffer, accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Jeannine de Hoop and a 11-member delegation including Nana Bema-Kumi, Ghana's Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Mr. Albert Kan Dapaah, Ghana's Minister of Defence and Mr. Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister were welcomed to the Palace by Nana Adu Gyamfi, the Adontenhene of Kumasi.

Nana Gyamfi who spoke on behalf of the Asantehene, said the relationship between the Netherlands and Ghana had been cordial and characterized with positive development. He said NATO's role in ensuring peace and stability had gained world recognition and the time has come for NATO to address common issues concerning organisations in Europe and Ghana and other sub-Saharan Africa countries.

Mr. Scheffer said NATO which has existed for over 60 years comprised the United States of America, Canada and other European nations and countries from other parts of the world whose aim was to ensure security and stability in Europe and other countries. He said NATO was implementing programmes to ensure that the peaceful co-existence between NATO, African Union and Ghana would be strengthened at all levels to bring unity, peace and stability to Africa.

Mr. Scheffer said he and the wife lived in Ghana in the 1970s and his wife taught at Achimota School stressing that they were happy to be back to see how best they could help in the development of the country.