WASHINGTON, Sept 9 (AFP) - US President George W. Bush said Thursday he was "appalled" by the violence in Sudan's troubled Darfur region, reiterating the US government's conclusion that genocide has taken place there.
"Our government has led the international effort to end the suffering there by speaking clearly about the crisis and sending assistance to the suffering," Bush said in the statement.
"We have concluded that genocide has taken place in Darfur. We urge the international community to work with us to prevent and suppress acts of genocide," he said.
"We call on the United Nations to undertake a full investigation of the genocide and other crimes in Darfur."
US Secretary of State Colin Powell had earlier called atrocities in Darfur genocide, blaming Sudan's government and the Janjaweed militia.
Bush noted he had sent Powell to Darfur and Khartoum "to demand that the Sudanese Government act to end the violence. We sponsored a strong Security Council Resolution, which passed on July 30.
"This resolution called on the government to disarm the Janjaweed militias which have terrorized the people of Darfur, and bring their leaders to justice.
"The government of Sudan has not complied with UN Security Council resolutions, and has not respected the cease-fire which it signed," said Bush. "It is clear that only outside action can stop the killing.
"My government is seeking a new Security Council Resolution to authorize an expanded African Union security force to prevent further bloodshed," he said. "We will also seek to ban flights by Sudanese military aircraft in Darfur."