As the news of George W Bush of re-election as president of the United States came in on Wednesday, congratulatory messages poured in from all over the world. 

Bush's re-election would mean the US people have defied the terror threats and have made an appropriate choice, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. "If Bush wins, I'll be glad that the American people haven't let themselves be intimidated by terrorists and have made a decision that was appropriate," Putin was quoted as saying at a Kremlin news conference.

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Putin said that terrorists had sought to prevent Bush's re-election and that a sensational anti-Bush statement by international terror mastermind Osama bin Laden days before the US election was the best corroboration of this thesis, Itar-Tass reported.

Putin noted that during his four-year long acquaintance with Bush, he proved to be a "consistent and rational man." "If Bush is re-elected, we will congratulate him and would be happy that he remained unstained by the dirt, slung on him and would express hope that he would demonstrate his best qualities and his whole experience accumulated on the course of four years he was heading this large and important nation of the world," Putin said.

On his part Berlusconi said that the US policy would not undergo any radical changes in Bush's second term.

The European Union was among the first to wish Bush on his re-election and pledged to amend the frayed transatlantic links. Both EU and US officials said they hoped Bush's second term would turn a new pace on the past four years' bitter rancour caused by a host of differences dominated by the war in Iraq.

Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende sent a personal letter of congratulation to Bush and expressing hope for "productive relations" in his second term, a Dutch presidency statement said. "He looks forward to a continuation of the productive relations with his administration," the statement said.

In Paris, French President Jacques Chirac congratulated Bush on his re-election, saying he hoped Bush's second term would be a chance to reinforce Franco-US relations.

NATO chief Jaap de Hoop voiced confidence the US president would remain committed to the alliance as a transatlantic bridge.

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak congratulated his American counterpart expressing hope that Bush would use his second term in office to bring peace to the region, the official MENA agency reported. "I am pleased to congratulate you on your re-election as US president for a second term," said Mubarak, who is currently visiting Germany.

He added that the US and Egypt had always enjoyed unique relations, strengthened under Bush's leadership. Mubarak praised the strong ties between the two countries and expressed his hope that during his second term in office, Bush would exert more effort to bring about "a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East by establishing a Palestinian state alongside the state of Israel".

He also expressed hope that "security, stability and sovereignty would be restored in Iraq" and that Bush would do more to "rid the Middle East of all weapons of mass destruction".

Others who sent their greetings to Bush included Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Mexican President Vincente Fox.