Dubai Ports World: A Response

DANIEL SCHORR reporting:

Two Sundays ago I did a commentary on the Dubai port management controversy, suggesting that there had been influence peddling involved in the awarding of the contract and xenophobia involved in the uproar that forced the cancellation of the contract.

LIANE HANSEN, host:

NPR Senior News Analyst, Daniel Schorr.

SCHORR: The Dubai Ports World Company, through a spokesperson, Andrew Rice, has taken exception to several points in my commentary. Let me summarize them. DP World financed the takeover of ports through debt financing, not from oil revenues. No lobbyist was hired to lobby for the contract, only a couple of lawyers to handle a regulatory application. Ex-President Bill Clinton, ex-Senator Robert Dole and ex-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright were in no way involved in the process. Dole was retained in an advisory role after the crisis hit.

The bidding war for the contract did not last three months but two weeks and it covered a global operation of port terminals in 20 countries, not just the six American ports. There was no influence peddling involved in the acquisition of the contract. Mr. Rice closed his email saying that a reporter's first duty is to get his facts straight. I agree. My facts came mainly from the public press. I shall undertake no rebuttal, which would require more time and effort than I'm prepared to give at this point. But I thought it was only fair to let Dubai Ports have its say.

This is Daniel Schorr. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.