Almost half the members of the U.S. House of Representatives appealed to President George W. Bush on Thursday to support Morocco's proposed settlement of its long struggle with Polisario guerrillas over the Western Sahara.

In a letter to Bush, 180 of the 435 members described the long-festering dispute over the former Spanish territory as having major national security ramifications for the United States.

Morocco offered two weeks ago a plan that would give autonomy to the Sarawis, as residents of the desert are known, while ensuring that Moroccan sovereignty is guaranteed. Since the offer, Morocco has said the plan is open for negotiation.

"The United States has a major national security interest in the stablity and economic prosperity of North Africa," the letter said. "With al-Qaida and other terrorist groups expanding their presence into North Africa, we are concerned that the failure to resolve this conflict of more than 30 years poses a danger to U.S. and regional security."

Read the rest of the article at the Intenational Herald Tribune

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