U.S. presidential candidates united on Darfur

"After more than five years of genocide, the Sudanesegovernment and its proxies continue to commit atrocitiesagainst civilians in Darfur," said the statement signed byDemocratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and BarackObama and Republican candidate John McCain.

"This is unacceptable to the American people and to theworld community," the candidates said, adding that it was clearthe Sudanese government was behind the violence.

They made clear that tough policies against the violence inDarfur would continue when the next president is seated in theWhite House in January, whichever of the three wins takesoffice in January. Obama is the front-runner to win theDemocratic Party nomination to contest McCain in the Novemberelection.

Excerpts from the statement were placed in Wednesday's NewYork Times in an advertisement sponsored by the Save DarfurCoalition, an alliance of more than 180 religious, human rightsand advocacy groups.

"It would be a huge mistake for the Khartoum regime tothink that it will benefit by running out the clock on the Bushadministration," the candidates said. "If peace and securityfor the people of Sudan are not in place when one of us isinaugurated as president on January 20, 2009, we pledge thatthe next administration will pursue these goals with unstintingresolve."

The Bush administration has labelled the conflict in Darfuras genocide, a charge the Sudanese government has rejected.

International experts say 200,000 people have been killedand more than 2 million made homeless by the Darfur violence.Khartoum says the actual figures are far lower.

(Reporting by Donna Smith; Editing by Eric Beech)