British Protest, Get an Extension to Register for Kuwait Contracts

LONDON —  Britain on Wednesday protested an “absurdly short” deadline for British companies to register for contracts to rebuild Kuwait after the Gulf War and won a seven-hour extension.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which has a contract to reconstruct Kuwait’s infrastructure, gave British companies 48 hours to register for a share of the business, a British spokeswoman said.

The initial deadline, which expired Wednesday, was “absurdly short and rather unhelpful,” the spokeswoman for the Department of Trade and Industry said.

As of Wednesday morning, 25 British companies had registered, out of a total of 200 contacted by the DTI.

The deadline was extended by seven hours after the government complained to the United States.

The Army Corps of Engineers was awarded a 90-day contract by the exiled Kuwait government to manage restoration of Kuwait’s infrastructure in the immediate aftermath of the conflict.

The work will include repairs to damaged roads, water treatment plants, airport runways and electrical power installations.

“We are determined that as far as future work is concerned, British companies should have at least equal access with American companies on any contract work,” Trade Secretary Peter Lilley said.