U.S. Ports Threat Seen in Peru Trade Deal

A pending U.S.-Peru free trade deal is being criticized by U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., who claims it would create a Dubai-based threat to U.S. ports.

Murtha, chairman of the House Defense Appropriations subcommittee, said the agreements wording would once again open the door for Dubai Ports World, which is building a container terminal just outside of Lima, to invest in U.S. ports.

The same company created an uproar last year in another deal and Congress appeared poised to legislate against Arabic companies from owning or operating U.S. ports. However, DPW agreed to sell of its interests in ports and last week completed all sales, The Hill, a Washington newspaper, reported.

Murtha requested the Peru agreement be reworded to avoid opening U.S. ports to foreign ownership or operations rights or multimillion-dollar lawsuits, the newspaper said.