(02/21/06) TRENTON ? New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine (D-NJ) announced Tuesday that the state will take legal action to prevent an Arab company from taking over operations at Port Newark.

New Jersey will file suits in state and federal court against the controversial planned takeover. During a news conference, Corzine said there is a ?deep, deep feeling that this is the wrong direction for our nation to take.? The planned deal would transfer the operations of six U.S. ports to Dubai Ports World, a state-run company in the United Arab Emirates.

Earlier in the day Tuesday, President George Bush said he would allow the deal to proceed and would also veto any legislation moving to block the transfer. In a news conference Monday, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) spoke out against the United Arab Emirates? involvement with U.S. ports. The senator said the country recognized the Taliban and controlled the transfer of nuclear parts to Iran, Libya and North Korea.

Related story: Senator Menendez moves to stop port deal with foreign country