U.S. President George Bush said he worried about the message to foreign companies after U.S. political pressure led an Arab company to pull out of a port deal.
Bush, speaking Friday to the National Newspaper Association, said the episode shows a need to improve the process by which such deals are considered by the U.S. government.
Dubai Ports World, based in the United Arab Emirates, this week said it would sell its U.S. port operations, which the company bought as part of a $6.8 billion deal. Opponents -- both Republicans and Democrats -- raised the security concerns of having a state-owned Middle Eastern company managing U.S. ports. The Bush administration said security questions had been answered.
"I'm concerned about the broader message this issue could send to our friends and allies around the world, particularly the Middle East," Bush said. "In order to win the war on terror, we have got to strengthen our relationships and friendships with moderate Arab countries in the Middle East."
Bush said the United Arab Emirates was a "committed ally" in the war on terror and a "valued and strategic partner."
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