WASHINGTON — The Bush administration has approved a deal in which a United Arab Emirates company would operate six major ports in the United States. A U.S. government panel has determined that the UAE firm, DP World, would not endanger national security. DP World, based in Dubai, has offered $6.8 billion for the purchase of a British firm that operates the ports of Baltimore, Miami, New York, New Jersey, New Orleans and Philadelphia. DP World intends to acquire the London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation [P&O] Co. The sale was expected to be approved on Monday. “The P&O directors have withdrawn their recommendation of the offer by PSA, which was announced on Jan. 26, 2006, and unanimously recommend that P&O Stockholders vote in favor of the revised proposals at the meetings, which are now scheduled to take place on Feb. 13,” DP World said in a statement. The company said the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States “thoroughly reviewed the potential transaction and concluded they had no objection.” The committee includes representatives from the departments of Treasury, Defense, Justice, Commerce, State and Homeland Security. The United Arab Emirates has been described […]