DP world keeping Miami port

When Dubai Ports World announced through a surrogate (U.S. Senator John Warner) that it would divest itself of all U.S. seaports in its purchase of a Great British company, the conventional wisdom declared the controversial story dead.

Turns out it wasn't mortally wounded at all. It just caught a little birdshot in the face, neck and chest.

The Associated Press has obtained internal DP World e-mails indicating the company plans to hold on to at least one American port.

The Dubai-owned company that promised to surrender its U.S. port operations has no immediate plans to sell its U.S. subsidiary's interests at Miami's seaport, a senior executive wrote Monday in a private e-mail to business associates.

Even if DP World were to sell its Miami operations to quell the congressional furor over an Arab-owned company managing major U.S. ports, "that would probably take a while," wrote Robert Scavone, a vice president for DP World's U.S. subsidiary.

The e-mail, obtained by The Associated Press, added to questions raised since DP World's announcement last week that it will divest U.S. port operations it acquired when it bought London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.

The AP reports that when it contacted Scavone initially, he refused to either confirm or deny that he sent the e-mail but called them later to explain its meaning.

It goes without saying that this is not the best way to build trust with the American people.

There will, undoubtedly, be further attempts to clarify, revise and extend the company's line on this issue. One hopes that DP World and the Bush administration will not expect us to take their word for anything.