Attorney general says no deal yet with BP on civil claims

The U.S. government negotiated with BP Plc to resolve civil claims against the company related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 but did not reach any agreement, Attorney General Eric Holder said on Thursday.

Holder, at a press conference on BP's criminal settlement, said it was possible the civil claims could still be resolved out of court but said the government was preparing for trial next year.

(Reporting By Chris Baltimore in Houston; Writing by Ben Berkowitz; editing by John Wallace)