Dubai official: Dubai World's debt its own

A top Dubai finance official says heavily indebted Dubai World is not guaranteed by the emirate's government, AP reported.

Abdulrahman al-Saleh, director general of Dubai's Finance Department, says lenders to the conglomerate bear some responsibility for the current crisis. He says they lent money based on the viability of the firm's projects, not because of government guarantees.

Al-Saleh said while Dubai owns Dubai World, it has been known since the conglomerate was established that it was independent and that it "is not guaranteed by the government."

The comments come on the first day of trading in the UAE on Monday, with markets recording record falls amid concerns Dubai World may default on its $60 billion debt.