BP Executives Arrive At White House For Talks With Obama

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- Top BP Plc (BP) executives arrived at the White House Wednesday for talks with President Barack Obama on the massive oil spill fouling the Gulf of Mexico coast. Eight bosses from the British energy giant, including chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg, chief executive Tony Hayward, and BP America chief Lamar McKay, entered the West Wing of the building just before 10:00 a.m. (1400 GMT). The meeting, called by Obama, was due to start at 10:15 a.m. (1415 GMT). In a late night Oval Office primetime address Obama vowed to make BP pay for its "recklessness" in triggering the nation's worst environmental disaster. In his speech laced with battle tones, he warned America could be left fighting the "epidemic" of the massive oil spill on its southern shores for years to come. (END) Dow Jones Newswires June 16, 2010 10:15 ET (14:15 GMT)