Arab firm to delay ports takeover amid security uproar

A United Arab Emirates company offered today to delay part of its £4 billion takeover of six US ports from a British firm to give the Bush administration more time to convince politicians the deal posed no security risks.

A United Arab Emirates company offered today to delay part of its £4bn (€5.8bn) takeover of six US ports from a British firm to give the Bush administration more time to convince politicians the deal posed no security risks.

The surprise announcement relieves some pressure from a stand-off between President George Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress, which has threatened to block the deal because of the UAE’s purported ties to terrorism.