WASHINGTON (AP) – World trade and U.S. security have come into conflict in the nation’s harbors, which thrive on foreign commerce but may be vulnerable to terrorist infiltration.

A deal to put a United Arab Emirates-owned company in charge of major operations at a half dozen U.S. ports has caused a backlash among both Republicans and Democrats. Dubai Ports World has agreed to postpone its move, giving President Bush more time to convince skeptical lawmakers the deal will not invite terrorism.

Some questions and answers about the deal, U.S. port security and the desert nation at the heart of the roiling waters.

Q: Why did this stir up such a fuss?

A: Under the arrangement, UAE-owned Dubai Ports World would control significant operations at six U.S. ports. Lawmakers in Congress and some governors and mayors worry that having a company controlled by an Arab state responsible for port operations would open opportunities for terrorist penetration of an already porous defense.

How secure are U.S. ports?

After the 2001 terrorist attacks, Congress developed new requirements to improve port security. A law signed by Bush in 2002 set a July 2004 deadline for ships and ports to tighten security amid fears that terrorists might smuggle nuclear weapons in a cargo container. The Coast Guard largely accomplished the undertaking. But much remains undone. Still overdue are standards for container locks and seals and identification cards for port workers, a report on cargo container security and a national security plan for marine transportation.

How is it that foreigners would be in charge of these operations?

Foreigners already are. Dubai Ports World, in a $6.8 billion deal, would take over Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. of London. The British company runs commercial shipping operations at terminals in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, Miami, New Orleans and Philadelphia, as well as Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2000, a division of P&O, a storied passenger and freight-transport company dating to the early 1800s, operated some 25 container ports in 16 countries.

What, and where, is the United Arab Emirates?

It is an oil-rich, desert nation on the Persian Gulf between Oman and Saudi Arabia, a little smaller than Maine. It is a loose federation of seven emirates – each one has its own ruler – and about 3.4 million people, mostly foreigners. In the flashy emirate of Dubai, for example, foreigners make up more than 80 percent of the city’s 1.5 million residents. Foreign laborers tend to live in squalid desert camps while wealthy expatriates enjoy some of the world’s most luxurious accommodations. The vast majority of the population is Muslim.

Where does the UAE fit in the war on terrorism?

Members of Congress who are trying to sink the deal cite the UAE’s history as an operational and financial base for the hijackers who attacked New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001. Furthermore, the United States raised concerns with the UAE several years ago about possible ties between officials and Osama bin Laden, according to the report by the independent commission that investigated 9/11. The UAE was one of only three countries that recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan before its 2001 overthrow by U.S.-led forces.

On the other hand, Bush praises the UAE as a valuable ally in the anti-terrorism campaign. U.S. forces use UAE seaports and airfields for logistics support and pilot training, and U-2 spy planes and Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft have been based at al-Dhafra air base.

Moreover, the Clinton administration agreed in 2000 to sell the UAE 80 of the most sophisticated versions of the F-16 fighter jet.

How was the ports deal approved?

In secret. The Treasury Department’s foreign investment committee reviewed the sale of P&O to Dubai Ports World. The panel’s 12 members unanimously agreed that the sale posed no problems, the department said. The committee’s members include representatives from the departments of Defense, Justice, Commerce, State and Homeland Security.

When did Bush learn about it?

Not until after it was approved, the White House has said.

Who is responsible for security at U.S. ports?

The Coast Guard approves security plans for thousands of ships and port facilities and is in charge of making sure those plans are carried out. The Customs and Border Protection agency oversees the cargo that arrives aboard the more than 20,000 shipping containers that pass through U.S. ports daily.

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On the Net:

Dubai Ports World: http://www.dpiterminals.com/dpworld-main.asp

P&O: http://portal.pohub.com/portal/page?-pageid71,207172&-dadpogprtl&- schemaP OGPRTL

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