House Plans to Block Ports’ Transfer; Bush Stands Firm on Deal
ouse members will attach legislation aimed at blocking a deal that would allow a United Arab Emirates company to run key U.S. ports, news services reported Wednesday.
Meanwhile, President Bush said his position in favor of the deal has not changed and a U.S. business group said that if the deal does not go through it could hurt the $8 billion in trade between the U.S. and UAE, Reuters reported.
The controversial deal has centered on potential security concerns over the proposed transfer, which has been criticized by local and federal officials over the transfer of the ports’ management to Dubai Ports World — owned by the UAE government — after DPW bought a British company that operates six major U.S. ports on the East Coast. (Click here for previous coverage.)
A House vote as soon as next week could set up a confrontation with the president, the Post reported.
Meanwhile the American Business Group of Abu Dhabi, which is based in the UAE, said blocking the deal could make Arabs hesitate before putting money in the United States, Reuters reported.
The group, whose members include U.S. business people in the UAE and representatives of large U.S. firms, said it planned to lobby members of Congress on the deal.
