The Czech President, Vaclav Havel, has said he has breathed a new atmosphere of hope on his return to the Slovak capital, Bratislava, for the first time in four years.

Mr Havel's visit comes after recent elections in Slovakia which saw the defeat of the nationalist governments of Vladimir Meciar and the formation of a new Cabinet pledging to strengthen democracy.

In an almost nostalgic atmosphere, President Havel said he was happy to be back after four long years and without the tension which had accompanied previous visits.

The Slovak Government, he said, no longer saw him as an enemy of the Slovak nation but as its friend. Relations between the Czech Republic and Slovakia have been strained since their peaceful split from the former Czechoslovakia in 1993.

Mikulas Dzurinda replaced Vladimir Meciar as prime minister

This atmosphere was evident during a walkabout on the streets of Bratislava. Several hundred people chanted "long live Havel" while others waved Czech, formerly Czechoslovak flags from their windows.

There were isolated hecklers but as one woman told me, relations will now be a thousand times better.

This sea change follows the recent election defeat of the nationalist governments led by Vladimir Meciar. Slovakia's new leader, Mikulas Dzurinda, says he'll make the country a real democracy and put it back on the road to European integration.

Mr Havel, who later had dinner with Mr Dzurinda, said the election results meant much more than a mere change of government.

His trip began poignantly with a visit to the grave of Alexander Dubcek, whose efforts to reform communism in 1968, were crushed by Soviet tanks.