British Prime Minister David Cameron said Tuesday he understands U.S. anger at BP (British Petroleum) following the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster but that it was in both countries' interests for the energy firm to remain a strong and stable company. “On BP, which we discussed at some length, I completely understand the anger that exists right across America,” Cameron said at a news conference with President Barack Obama after their first White House talks. “The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a catastrophe, for the environment, for the fishing industry, for tourism. I've been absolutely clear about that,” Cameron told reporters. “And like President Obama, I've also been clear that it is BP's role to cap the leak, to clean up the mess, and to pay appropriate compensation,” Cameron said, adding that the recent temporary capping of the well by BP was “a step in the right direction.” At the same time, Cameron said that BP “is an important company to both the British and the American economies—thousands of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic [Ocean] depend on it. So it's in the interest of both our countries, as we agreed, that it remains a strong and stable company for the future.”
