DORGAN SAYS PRESIDENT SHOULD REFUSE TO ALLOW SALE OF U.S. PORT SECURITY TO UNITED ARAB EMIRATES COMPANY
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
CONTACT: Justin Kitsch
or Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551
(BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA) --- U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) said Wednesday that the President should reverse “a potentially dangerous course” and refuse to allow Dubai Ports World, a company owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates, to purchase the rights to provide security needs at a number of major U.S. ports.
Dorgan called the Administration’s stance on the issue “unbelievable.”
“First, it is nuts to allow a Middle Eastern country through a state-owned company to manage our port facilities,” Dorgan said. “Second, to cede control to the United Arab Emirates is even more unbelievable. The UAE was one of three countries to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. Two of the September 11 hijackers came from the United Arab Emirates. There is simply no legitimate reason to give them the rights to manage our sea ports. It makes no sense.”
Dorgan said he sent a letter to President Bush today urging him to reverse his decision to allow the purchase. Dorgan also said the President should disclose all of the information regarding the sale. “Americans have a right to know the terms of this deal and the reasons the President has supported it,” he said.
Dorgan also said he will introduce legislation next Monday to halt the sale. Many of his Democrat and Republican colleagues in the Senate have said they too would support legislative action if the Administration allows the sale to go forward.
“Our national security must be paramount in these decisions,” Dorgan said. “The United Arab Emirates was a transfer point for shipments of smuggled nuclear components sent to Iran, North Korea, and Libya. If this Administration takes the security of our nation seriously, it will scrap its plans to allow this transaction. I think it also has a duty to release to the public all information it used in deciding to allow this sale.”
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