Kufuor receives Letters of Credence of four new Ambassadors

Accra, Sept. 5, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on

Friday received the Letters of Credence of four new Ambassadors

accredited to the country and gave the assurance that the

Government was determined to ensure Ghana stayed the course of

democracy. The Government, he said, would never be the source of election

confusion and would provide the resources to make the conduct of

the December poll, free, fair and transparent. This was when the Danish Ambassador, Mr Stig Barlyng, called

at the Castle, Osu , to present the Letter accrediting him to the

country. The newly appointed Ambassador of the United States (US), Mr

Donald Gene Teitelbum, that of France, Mr Francis Hurtut, and Mr

Frederic Banguora, Guinea, also presented their Letters. President Kufuor acknowledged the support the Danish

Government has been giving to the social development and the

growth of Ghana's democracy. The European nation, he said, through the Danish Development

Agency (DANIDA), had been supportive of Ghana. Mr Barlyng, was happy with the high level of development

co-operation between Ghana and his country, which he noted, for

the past eight years had been stronger than it had ever been. He said they were eager to see the Ghanaian-Danish

Co-operation implemented in accordance with the agreed principles

for the mutual benefit of the two countries. At the turn of the US Ambassador, President Kufuor said there

was the need to make sure that the remarkably warm US-Ghana ties

were protected and nurtured. The friendship had manifested in practical support of the country

by the US and he cited the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA)

assistance of 547 million dollars. Added to this, were also the state visits by US President George

Bush and that of the wife, Laura. He said Ghana would be counting on Mr Teitelbum to help build

on the relations. The Ambassador pledged to do everything to promote the deep

and positive relationship for the mutual benefit of the peoples of the

two countries. When the French Ambassador took his turn, President Kufuor

asked him to help promote causes that would broaden and deepen

Ghana-France relations. He expressed appreciation for France development assistance to

the country mentioning among them the National Identification

Project, agricultural sector and the security services. President Kufuor also welcomed the announcement by the

Ambassador that he would help to promote the spread of the

teaching and learning of French language in schools. Mr Hurtut praised Ghana's democracy and economic

performance, saying, "You are an exemplary country." President Kufuor recalled the long and warm relations between

Ghana and Guinea and asked that the two increased their level of

co-operation on the economic front, when Mr Bangoura called. He said it was time they revived their joint Permanent Economic

Co-operation to boost economic interaction and co-operation.