ISLAMABAD, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, has arrived in Islamabad for visit, the state-run Pakistan Television reported Monday.

    The NATO secretary-general will hold talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri on Tuesday to discuss ways and means to promote bilateral cooperation on long term basis, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said.

    Addressing a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam Monday said that the two sides will discuss the situation in Afghanistan, role of the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) and the way of promoting stability in the neighboring country.

    The NATO chief visit takes place in the wake of the last week meeting between Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai, hosted by Turkish President in Ankara, to cool tensions between the two countries.

    Scheffer is the first head of NATO to visit Pakistan.

    Discussions in Islamabad are also planned with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and other senior officials. The situation in Afghanistan will be a key topic in the talks.