Russia and the United Arab Emirates have offered their assistance in tackling the consequences of an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Department of State said.
"Regarding the Deep Water Horizon oil spill... we received two additional offers of assistance which we are grateful for from the United Arab Emirates and Russia," Philip Crowley, the department's assistant secretary, told a daily press briefing in Washington.
He did not specify, however, whether the United States would accept the assistance or would not. So far, the United Nations and 13 countries have offered their help in the Gulf of Mexico.
An explosion which caused the oil spill ripped through the Deepwater Horizon, some 50 miles off the Louisiana coast, on April 20. The blast claimed the lives of 11 people who were working on the rig and injured other 17. The rig sunk two days later, with oil continuing spilling out into the sea.
The accident, which is seen as a challenge to U.S. President Barack Obama's plans to build more oil rigs along the Atlantic shore, poses a major threat to the Gulf of Mexico's flora and fauna. The Gulf, which hosts some 4,000 drilling platforms, is home to many endangered animal species.
WASHINGTON, May 11 (RIA Novosti)
