Thousands of ethnic Albanians lining the roads near Kosovo's main airport waved flags and applauded when former US president Bill Clinton today.
Guarded by an armoured personnel carrier and NATO troops, Mr Clinton's motorcade streamed past cheering crowds through the ethnically divided province to the capital, Pristina, where thousands more had gathered.
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Former US president Bill Clinton shakes hands withcheering crowds after arriving at the Kosovo capital,Pristina
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Mr Clinton, on a brief visit, was to address college students and receive an honorary degree.
He is adored by Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority, who credit the United States with leading the coalition that halted the brutal crackdown of Serb forces on ethnic Albanians seeking independence four years ago.
It was Mr Clinton's second trip to Kosovo. In November 1999 - just months after about 6,000 US troops were deployed in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission here - he urged ethnic Albanians to end ethnic hatred and embrace reconciliation in the war torn region.
His plea at that time to forgive Serb neighbours and stop punishing them for Milosevic's terror campaign was met with scant applause and silent stares. But Clinton ignored the chilly reception and pressed on, insisting that the war was not waged to perpetuate ethnic intolerance.
Even now - four years after the conflict - ethnic tensions and violence in Kosovo remain high.
About 200,000 Kosovo Serbs and other minorities fled Kosovo after the war, fearing attacks levelled in revenge for the Serb crackdown. Dozens of Serbs have since been killed and only a small number have returned to their homes.
AP