In view of this "often biased" coverage, Diaz-Balart called for "not forgetting that while the Sahara was under Spanish colonial rule, only Morocco laid claim to that territory as its own."
    The Kingdom of Morocco repeatedly claimed the Sahara and demanded the end of Spanish colonial rule, he recalled, noting that the so-called polisario has come into being only when considerable progress was made by Morocco, under the leadership of king Hassan II, in order to recover the Sahara in the 1970s.  
    The polisario is financed by Algeria and is propped up by the communist regime of Cuba, he underlined, saying that “an illusory, a fake microstate in Northern Africa” would be led by a repressive class.
    “Such a microstate would serve as a focal point of regional instability and destabilization, as well as an exporter of terrorism,” the US congressman stressed.
     He added that “the reality of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara enjoys the support of the entire population of Morocco, including the Sahara itself.”
    Diaz-Balart said that HM King Mohammed VI has “demonstrated great courage and patience in dealing with this critical issue so closely tied to the security of the entire region,” underlining in this regard that the Moroccan proposal is aimed at guarantying a “genuine” autonomy to the Sahara, under Moroccan sovereignty, as a “realistic and definitive” solution to this issue.  
     He deplored the fact that “Algeria and the so-called polisario continue to insist on the creation of a fake microstate.”
    The congressman recalled that majorities in Congress, comprising Republicans and Democrats, have spoken clearly in support of the Moroccan initiative in letters sent to President Bush and President Obama.
    “Both administrations and with the strong leadership of Secretary of State Rice and Secretary of State Clinton, have agreed with the position expressed by the overwhelming majority of this Congress,” Diaz-Balart added.
    For him, “the future of America's struggle against international terrorism and the stability of Northern Africa require that the Government and the Congress of the United States continue to stand firmly and clearly with our friend and ally, the Kingdom of Morocco."