BP will have to create an escrow account to pay the victims of oil spill by Zuzana Zelenakova

US President Barrack Obama plans to push energy company British Petroleum, responsible for the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, into creating an escrow account from which it would pay victims of the environmental catastrophe. Obama´s intentions to deliver billions of dollars to people affected by the massive leak were announced Sunday by White House spokesman Robert Gibbs and President´s senior adviser David Axelrod. On Friday, reports came from London that BP is about to create an escrow account willingly, however, these turned out to be not as certain as previously assumed and President Obama decided to take the action in the matter. He will meet BP exe! cutives Wednesday in order to discuss further details, the amount of money that will be put in the account in particular. “We want to make sure that money is independently administered so there won’t be slow walk on these claims,” said David Axelrod referring to the involvement of a third party. “It’s not a matter of trust. We have to verify what they’re doing. I don’t consider them a partner. They’re not social friends. I’m not looking to make judgments about their soul.” Axelrod used rather harsh language, apparently, in order to show the public that the government holds BP responsible and will make the energy company take that responsibility through some resolute moves. So far, the efforts to contain the oil spill and to prevent it from doing harm to people and wildlife had reached $1.6 billion. Monday, President Obama started his fourth visit to the Gulf areas, during which he plans on visiting Mississippi, Flo! rida and Alabama. The first three trips were to the state that! was aff ected worst by the spill, Louisiana. Upon his return to Washington on Tuesday, he will give his first Oval Office speech as president, in which he will talk about the catastrophe.

related story (sgx17573): http://www.france24.com/en/20100614-bp-oil-spill-obama-fourt...

by Zuzana Zelenakova for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

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