The official, speaking hours before de Hoop Scheffer was to meet Bush in the White House, added that NATO should host more discussion on problems before they flare up into full-blown crises, like last year's Iraq war.

The military alliance's secretary-general will "call for a reinforced US engagement in NATO", he said.

"The alliance is the unique transatlantic bridge. He will also call the US president to use NATO more as a political forum," added the official.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) chief was due to meet Bush and other senior administration officials later Wednesday, in the first visit by a foreign statesman since Bush's November 2 re-election.

The official said a strengthened NATO role could help head off crises before they occur.

"If there is more political debate countries can speak about problems, and can also be prepared in advance of things which can come later ... to avoid crises," he said.

"NATO countries didn't talk very much about what was going on in Iraq before there was a crisis," he added.

On Thursday de Hoop Scheffer will travel to New York where he will meet UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and become the first NATO chief to address a formal session of the UN Security Council.

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