"We remain convinced that the U.S. position, favoring autonomy for
Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty, is the only feasible solution,"
the letter, released on April 16, said.
In 2007, Morocco drafted the autonomy plan for Western Sahara in an
effort to block the campaign by the Algerian-backed Polisario for
independence. In 2008, United Nations envoy Peter van Walsum, who presided
over four rounds of negotiations between Rabat and Polisario, determined
that independence for Western Sahara was not feasible. The next round of UN
mediation talks was expected over the next few weeks.
"Vital U.S. interests in North Africa are increasingly challenged by
growing regional instability," the letter said. "Terrorist incidents in the
Maghreb have increased by more than 400 percent since September 11, 2001,
and the emergence of Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb has led to a spike in
terror attacks against both symbols of national government and institutions
reflecting cooperation between the Arab world and the West. The single
greatest obstacle impeding the security cooperation necessary to combat this
transnational threat is the unresolved territorial dispute over the Western
Sahara."
The lobbyists said the Moroccan plan was making headway throughout
Congress. In 2007, a similar statement of support for Rabat's autonomy plan
garnered 173 members of the House.
"We urge you to both sustain this longstanding policy, and to make
clear, in both words and actions, that the United States will work to ensure
that the UN process continues to support this framework as the only
realistic compromise that can bring this unfortunate and longstanding
conflict to an end," the letter to Obama said.
Morocco has sought to enhance strategic cooperation with the United
States. In 2008, Rabat launched a $2.4 billion program to procure 24 F-16
Block 52+ multi-role fighters from Lockheed Martin. This would make Morocco
the only North African state with the advanced fighter.