NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on Wednesday congratulated Barack Obama on his election as U.S. president.

"I offer warm congratulations to Senator Obama on his election to become the next U.S. president," de Hoop Scheffer said in a statement.

"The transatlantic link, based upon the shared values on which our alliance was founded almost 60 years ago, remains essential," he said.

Today's security challenges require an ever stronger cooperation and solidarity between allies, he said, hoping the United States will continue to play its role in that regard under Obama's leadership.

(Xinhua News Agency November 6, 2008)