Press cheers Bush over Kosovo

Mr Bush received a hero's welcome in the Albanian capital Tirana

Newspapers in the Serbian province of Kosovo are delighted at President George W Bush's backing for the Kosovo Albanian independence bid, calling it an "historic moment".

One commentator points out however that efforts should now be made to accommodate Serbia and its backer Russia.

There is a tone of bitterness in the Serbian press, with one commentator accusing President Bush of making a complicated situation even more difficult.

BATON HAXHIU IN KOSOVO'S EXPRESS

Only an American president can do something like this: declare Kosovo independent in the centre of Tirana... This is an historic moment for all Albanians.

KOSOVO'S BOTA SOT

Thank you President Bush! See you soon in the independent and sovereign Kosovo!

B BAJRALIU AND S KASTRATI IN KOSOVO'S KOHA DITORE

Kosovo political leaders called Bush's statement that "Kosovo's independence will be the final result" a historic one.

ARTAN MUSTAFA IN KOSOVO'S EXPRESS DAILY

The issue now is how to find a path to accommodate Russia and Serbia. If diplomacy takes too long, the US will say "enough". This resolution should be taken forward.

DRAGANA MATOVIC IN SERBIA'S POLITIKA

Maybe, as the worst of pessimists are predicting, Russia will give up on us and accept that Kosovo will be independent... But it is somehow unrealistic. Because, realistically, America has a lot to lose by aggravating the situation, and Russia, realistically, can gain a lot.

RANKO PIVLJANIN IN SERBIA'S BLIC

The statement George Bush gave in Tirana... has complicated the Kosovo knot which was already tangled enough. Everything is aimed at satisfying the Albanians' appetite for an imposed solution, and calming Serbia down with unclear promises about a speedier European association.

SERBIA'S KURIR

Hysterical Tirana citizens were literally throwing themselves at Bush during his tour of the capital, hugging and kissing him, just as they used to do with the great dictator Enver Hoxha in his time.

ILIJA MARKOVIC IN SERBIA'S DANAS

Americans defend their interests in Kosovo, Russians defend theirs in Serbia, Serbs defend theirs in The Hague.

DUSAN JANJIC IN SERBIA'S VECERNJE NOVOSTI

Bush is trying to present Kosovo's independence as his aim. But this is actually motivated by US political in-fighting, because the Democrats are criticising him for being incapable of making Kosovo independent.

PRESENTER ON RUSSIA'S ROSSIYA TV

While the G8 summit in Germany may have brought the Russian and American positions slightly closer on missile defence, it would appear that, over Kosovo, they remain diametrically opposed... The Albanians heard from Bush what they wanted to hear. Bush made it clear that, if Kosovo doesn't gain independence soon, the United States will recognise its independence unilaterally.

SERGEY KARAGANOV IN RUSSIA'S ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA

Belgrade may now create the impression that it believes in EU membership soon and will therefore agree to sovereignty for Kosovo. Moscow wins out in any scenario. After all, that's what we've been saying: no independence without the agreement of the country from which you are seceding. Another source of irritation will have been removed, and on Russia's terms.

BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.