Washington  - Hillary Clinton's name is to be placed in nomination at the Democratic Party's convention this month, for a formal round of recognition of her historic candidacy, it was announced Thursday.

The symbolic move will ensure that Clinton's name appears in the state-by-state roll call, giving delegates an opportunity to reaffirm their support for her.

The practice in which delegates from each state vote to name the party's candidate has become largely ceremonial, and candidates that lost the primary elections have freed their delegates to support the prospective nominee. The move to read Clinton's name during the vote aims to defuse tension from a historic series of state-by-state primaries pitting Clinton and Barack Obama.

Party officials had become uneasy over the number of Clinton supporters who have vowed not to vote for presumptive nominee Obama. One group calls themselves PUMA (Party Unity My Ass).

"I am convinced that honouring Senator Clinton's historic campaign in this way will help us celebrate this defining moment in our history and bring the party together in a strong united fashion," a statement from Obama said.

Obama's campaign said Clinton's name would be placed in nomination also to recognize the fact that she was the first woman to compete in all the primary contests, the statement said.

The move has somewhat resolved the question of what to do about Clinton, the former first lady, and her disgruntled supporters.

Obama still hasn't declared his choice for vice presidential candidate, teasing hopes among her supporters.

Honouring Clinton at the convention will demonstrate that both camps have settled their differences, before heading into the final phase of the presidential elections.

"With every voice heard and the party strongly united, we will elect Senator Obama president of the United States and put our nation on the path to peace and prosperity once again," Clinton said in a statement Thursday.

The decision to place her name in nomination was reached after much negotiating on both sides.

Earlier this month, an unauthorized film clip of Clinton speaking to supporters in California surfaced, where she suggested that if she put her name in for nomination and a roll-call vote, the party would "come out stronger if people believe that their voices were heard."

"That is a very big part of how we come out unified. People want to feel like - OK, it's a catharsis. We're here, we did it, and everybody get behind Senator Obama."

At that time, Obama dismissed the idea of "catharsis," saying: "I don't think we're looking for catharsis. I think we're looking for energy and excitement about the prospect of change in this country." (dpa)