A leading member of the US Republican Party has apologised for remarks apparently praising America's past racial segregation policies.

A poor choice of words conveyed to some the impression that I embraced the discarded policies of the past

Senator Trent Lott

Senate Republican leader Trent Lott said that America would have been better off if the now veteran Senator Strom Thurmond had won on a segregationist ticket in 1948 presidential elections.

Mr Thurmond, then governor of South Carolina, opposed the civil rights policies of President Harry Truman.

Mr Lott's remark, made at Senator Thurmond's 100th birthday party with President George W Bush present, caused an uproar in the country.

'Racist statement'

"A poor choice of words conveyed to some the impression that I embraced the discarded policies of the past," Senator Lott said in his apology.

"Nothing could be further from the truth."

Reverend Jesse Jackson called for Senator Lott to step down

But former vice-president Al Gore emphasized that Senator Lott should be censured for his "racist statement".

He said Mr Lott's comment was "divisive along racial lines."

Mr Lott insisted that his remark was misunderstood.

"This was a light-hearted celebration of the 100th birthday of legendary Senator Strom Thurmond," he said.

"My comments were not an endorsement of his positions of over 50 years ago, but of the man and his life."

'Humorous' remarks

Kevin Martin, from African American Republican Leadership Council, said that reaction to Mr Lott's "humorous" remark was exaggerated.

But Reverend Jesse Jackson called for Mr Lott' to step down "for promoting this mean-spirited and immoral propaganda".

"The civil rights movement was one of America's finest hours. Strom Thurmond's massive resistance to that movement, and his support in states like Mississippi, was one of history's low points," Reverend Jackson said.

Senator Thurmond, who entered Senate in 1954, was one of the most vocal opponents of integration policies. He was also against civil rights legislation opening integration between America's white and black communities.

Since then he has changed his political views. He hired African Americans to be members of his staff team and helped to promote blacks to become federal judges.