Accra, April 24, GNA-President John Evans Atta Mills on Friday lauded the friendly ties between Ghana and Spain and called for the links to be strengthened in the face of the current global economic ties.

As he welcomed a Spanish delegation led by Mr Jose Maria Aznar, former Spanish Prime Minister to the Castle in Osu, Accra, President expressed Ghana's appreciation to Spain for its social, economic and cultural co-operation and assistance to Ghana. President Mills told the delegation, which is on a three-day official visit to Ghana that many economic projects in Ghana had been funded with Spanish assistance.

Spain has additionally helped in the development of the Ghanaian human resource through training programmes and assisted in providing medical care through services by Spanish medical staff in health institutions in Ghana. Spanish assistance, Presiden t Mills said, was also seen in the areas of religion, especially in the services rendered by clerics in the Roman Catholic Church.

The President commended Spain for its assistance, and expressed the need for the two countries to strengthen their ties, and work together for their mutual benefits. Mr Aznar expressed the pleasure of the delegation to be in Ghana and the opportunity to meet the President, adding that, the two nations had opportunities of common interests.

Mr Aznar gave an assurance that Spain would contribute to strengthen the relations between the two countries. He expressed Spain's best wishes to President and people of Ghana, and prayed for better opportunities and progress of Ghana under the government of President Mills.