U.S. President George W. Bush said on Monday that the people of Kosovo were now independent, in his first comment on the territory’s weekend declaration of independence.
"We will watch to see how the events unfold today," Bush said in a live interview aired on US media from Arusha, Tanzania during a tour of Africa. "The Kosovans are now independent. It is something I have advocated along with my government."
The breakaway majority Albanian territory declared independence from Serbia last Sunday. Most of the European Union’s 27 members and the United States are ready to recognize Kosovo, though Spain said on Monday it had made up its mind not to do so.