国际英语新闻：White House says CEO meeting productive

WASHINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The meeting held on Friday between U.S. President Barack Obama and chief executives of some of the largest U.S. banks was productive, White House said.

    "The president believed they had a good, productive and frank conversation," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs. During the meeting, they talked about the toxic asset plan and financial regulatory reform, he added.

    "Also discussed were issues of compensation and the importance of recognizing what the American public is going through in this economic crisis," said the spokesman, referring to the controversy over bailed-out AIG (American International Group, Inc.).

Chairman & Chief Executive of the Goldman Sachs Group Lloyd C. Blankfein, American Express Chief Executive Kenneth Chenault, Bank of America Corp. Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis and American Banker's Association President and Chief Executive Ed Yingling arrive at the White House for a meeting about the economy with U.S. President Barack Obama in the State Dining Room in Washington, March 27, 2009. Obama meets with top U.S. bankers on Friday to hash out plans to reform Wall Street, rid financial institutions of bad debts and jumpstart lending in an effort to pull the United States out of recession

    "The president emphasized that Wall Street needs Main Street and that Main Street needs Wall Street, that everybody has to pitch in, that we're all in this together," he said.

    Obama is seeking support for his plan to stabilize the U.S. financial system and move beyond the furor over bailouts and bonuses.