Washington – A United Arab Emirates company offered Thursday to delay its takeover of most operations at six U.S. ports to give the Bush administration more time to convince skeptical lawmakers that the deal poses no security risks.
The surprise announcement relieves some pressure from a standoff between President Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress, where some lawmakers have threatened to block the deal because of concerns over the UAE’s purported ties to terrorism. The reaction on Capitol Hill was mixed.
Under the offer coordinated with the White House, Dubai Ports World said it would agree not to exercise control or influence the management over U.S. ports pending further talks with the Bush administration, Congress and local port authorities. It did not indicate how long it would wait for these discussions to take place.
The Dubai-based state-owned company said it will move forward with other parts of the deal affecting the rest of the world.
“It is not only unreasonable but also impractical to suggest that the closing of this entire global transaction should be delayed,” Dubai Ports said in a statement.
“The reaction in the United States has occurred in no other country in the world,” said the company’s chief operating officer, Ted Bilkey. “We need to understand the concerns of the people in the U.S. who are worried about this transaction and make sure that they are addressed to the benefit of all parties. Security is everybody’s business.”
The announcement came as bipartisan political furor persisted over the deal – supposed to be completed in early March – because of national security concerns. Republicans and Democrats alike are crafting legislation blocking or delaying the deal with an Arab country tied to some of the hijackers from Sept. 11, 2001. Bush had pledged earlier to veto such a measure.
The company’s announcement did not appease some of the deal’s harshest critics.
“If the president were to voluntarily institute the review and delay the contract, that would obviate the need for our legislation, but a simple cooling-off period will not allay our concerns,” said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
But one prominent Republican who had questioned the deal appeared optimistic. “This is definitely a positive step,” said Rep. Peter King of New York, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.
