(1) Via LGF:
Dubai Ports World, the combined United Emirates (UAE) port management company for the Gulf, has stepped up its challenge to win the operating rights of six major ports in the US, by claiming it has strong business ties with Israeli shipping company Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. ...(2) Via Israeli Consulate general (SF):
Asked in an interview last week with “CNN” reporter Wolf Blitzer whether Dubai Ports World was doing business with Israel while the UAE refused to recognize Israel, [CEO Ted] Bilkey replied, “One of our very sound customers is Zim line. It’s the largest shipping company. And the president of that company is very close to our company and supports us, because we have good relations with all of our clients.
“We handle their operations in a number of ports throughout the world because it’s good commercial business for us. They wouldn’t come to us unless we did a good job,” added Bilkey.
Blitzer: “Does the emir know this?”
Bilkey: “Absolutely.”
Dubai to Copy Israeli Hi-Tech Model - Thursday, June 17, 2004:These two items prove that the UAE is in fact among the most moderate of all the Arab nations.
While striving to become the regional financial center of the Middle East, Dubai has decided to develop its hi-tech industry according to the Israeli model, MA’ARIV reported. Senior Dubai officials have approached Israel with the intention of developing joint technology projects.
Dubai officials met with Israeli businessmen during the regional economic conference in Jordan and expressed interest in cooperation with leading Israeli hi-tech companies, which have not yet expanded to the Gulf. Dubai representatives showed excellent understanding of the Israeli legislation governing manufacture and the hi-tech industry.
They also expressed willingness to visit Israel, since the Dubai government does not oppose such visits.
NOTE: This is an excerpt from a recent State Department briefing:
ERELI: I would note that the intelligence community's Risk Acquisition Center, which is under the office of Director of National Intelligence, prepared an assessment to determine if any derogatory information existed on this acquire and whether the acquire would take any action -- might take any action to threaten national security.CASE CLOSED.
And as a result of this very thorough, very exhaustive, very careful review by all the stakeholders, including the Department of Homeland Security, it was decided that there was no objection on national security grounds for this transaction going forward.
I would also point out that nothing in this acquisition has anything to do with the responsibility for security in American ports.
That remains very firmly in the hands of Department of Homeland Security. What we're talking about is management of some port operations.
Department of Homeland Security has had good relations with the Dubai ports role in the past.
And I would note, as the Secretary noted in her remarks on Friday, that from a counterterrorism point of view, we've had a strong and effective partnership with the UAE and those are some of the facts, I think, that are important to bear in mind when looking at this case.
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