LOC09:15
06:15 GMT
TOKYO, May 14 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Suleiman Al-Jarallah has stressed the importance of reaching a consensus among oil-producing countries on an output ceiling to prop up crude prices.
Al-Jarallah, who just concluded his visit to Japan accompanying His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, made remarks in an interview with Japan's Jiji Press in Tokyo.
"There is no option but to freeze output," Al-Jarallah said, adding that the freeze is expected to be on the agenda for the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) official meeting slated for June 2 in Austria's capital Vienna.
OPEC and major non-member producers including Russia failed at an April 17 meeting to agree to freeze output, partly due to Iran's objection over the plan.
Asked by the Japanese reporter how to persuade Iran, Al-Jarallah said, "Iran should learn from the market. The market doesn't give the chance to increase production."
Meanwhile, on behalf of Kuwait, Al-Jarallah signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of municipal waste between the Kuwait Municipality and Japan's Environment Ministry. The signing ceremony was held at Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's office in the presence of both prime ministers. (end)
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