Arab firm to disclose internal records in US ports deal

The Bush administration secretly required a company in the United Arab Emirates to cooperate with future US investigations before approving its takeover of operations at six American ports, it emerged today.

According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, as part of the €5.6bn purchase, state-owned Dubai Ports World agreed to reveal records on demand about “foreign operational direction” of its business at US ports. Those records broadly include details about the design, maintenance or operation of ports and equipment.