Global General

G20 Toronto summit discusses BP oil spill

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-28 09:02

TORONTO - The Group of 20 (G20) summit, which concluded here on Sunday, said the recent accident of BP oil spill shows the need of better marine environment protection.

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"Following the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico we recognize the need to share best practices to protect the marine environment, prevent accidents related to offshore exploration and development, as well as transportation, and deal with their consequences," said the G20 Toronto Summit Declaration.

Speaking to the media at the closing of the summit, British Prime Minister David Cameron said BP wants to make compensations to those who are affected by the oil spill.

"BP wants to cap the well, it wants to clear up the mess, it wants to pay compensation, it wants to compensate particularly the fisherman, the hotel owners, and the people who suffered," Cameron said.

"It knows that it is going to have to pay out a huge sum of money, but what it wants is some certainty; and what we all want is this important company to be strong and stable for the future," he added.

The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, owned by Transocean and leased by BP, sank April 22 some 52 km off Venice, Louisiana, United States, after burning for roughly 36 hours. The untapped wellhead continues gushing oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The White House has called the spill the biggest environmental disaster that the country has ever faced.