国际英语新闻：Obama vows "relentless" efforts to stop oil leak

WASHINGTON, May 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday vowed "relentless" efforts to stop an oil leak pouring into the Gulf of Mexico, saying U.S. won't rest until leak stopped.

"The potential devastation to the Gulf Coast, its economy and its people require us to continue our relentless efforts to stop the leak and contain the damage," Obama told reporters in White House Rose Garden after meeting with Cabinet members about the disaster.

Obama said that no one knows exactly how much oil is leaking because human inspectors cannot reach the mile-deep well head, but the administration's response has "always been geared toward the possibility of a catastrophic event."

U.S. President Barack Obama makes a statement after meeting with cabinet members on the BP oil spill, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, May 14, 2010. Obama Friday vowed "relentless" efforts to stop an oil leak pouring into the Gulf of Mexico, saying the U.S. won't rest until leak is stopped.

He slammed the three oil companies linked to the Deepwater Horizon rig for seeking to pass the blame, denouncing what he called a "ridiculous spectacle" by their top officials during congressional hearings.

"I will not tolerate more finger-pointing or irresponsibility. The people of the Gulf Coast need our help," Obama said.

Executives of British energy giant BP, swiss-based Transocean and Halliburton, blamed each other at a hearing Tuesday at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.