Black tide Spotlight on disaster on lesechos

The price of "unconsciousness" was tentatively scheduled to $ 20 billion. In the wake of his first speech televised in the Oval Office since his election, Barack Obama received yesterday BP commitment that it would pay $ 20 billion to a Fund for compensation of the victims of the spill. A promise given at its first meeting at the White House with the President of the oil group, Carl-Henric Svanberg, and its operational pattern, Tony Hayward.

For the American President, the crisis management has been severely criticized, it is a first significant success, even if the White House stressed its willingness not to jeopardize the financial viability of the British group.

"BP should make available all the resources needed to compensate workers and victims of its unconsciousness companies," insisted Barack Obama. For the 57ejour of the oil spill, Washington means now obtain concrete commitments to the British group. The figure of $ 20 billion is regarded as reasonable by most analysts in view of the level of liquidity released by BP ($27.7 billion) last year. The Fund will be managed by the lawyer Kenneth Feinberg, who had been responsible for ensuring the compensation of the victims of September 11, and had also inherited a mission control and guidance of the bonus of corporations propped by the State. It is intended to ensure compensation for victims of the black tide "in an equitable manner and within a reasonable time."

Despite the fall of 48 of the value of his title since April 20, most analysts believe that such an effort is not likely to endanger the existence of BP. According to estimates, the final bill for the crisis for the British group could even reach between 37 and 40 billion. However, it is now more than likely that BP is forced to suspend payment of its annual dividend of $ 10 billion, scheduled the next payment to 27 July.

A painful reminder

The meeting between Barack Obama and the leaders of BP comes in the wake of the fifth revision to the increase in the level of leakage (from 35,000 to 60,000 barrels per day) by the official experts, a minimum of 2 million barrels in the Gulf since the accident.

Despite the appointment of a new "czar" of the oil spill, Michael Bromwich, a senior official of the Department of Justice responsible for restoring order the Minerals Management Service (MMS), the Agency control of drilling in the centre of the criticism, the White House barely regain control on the crisis which has upset his agenda. "The tragedy is unfolding on our coast is the most painful and powerful reminder that it is time to embrace a policy of clean energy", has launched Barack Obama Tuesday evening. He also emphasized the need to put an end to "a century of the United States to oil dependence", a site neglected for decades. But the supporters of a carbon tax were disappointed by the lack of commitment farm and details on a possible coupling between climate and energy reform act.

Barack Obama committed yesterday to meet with Republican and democratic politicians on 23 June to boost the reform. But Democratic Senator John Kerry, an advocate of the project on the Senate climate, has not hidden do not yet have the majority of the 60 votes required for passage of the text in the short term.

Despite its strongly offensive tone, the Barack Obama call for mobilization and the refocusing of the US energy policy still allowed with some scepticism. In the eyes of the public, the priority is the action on the ground.

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