VIENNA, Dec 4 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's Deputy Premier, Finance Minister and Acting Oil Minister Anas Al-Saleh said on Friday Kuwait is interested in maintaining the OPEC's role to keep a stable international oil market, and serve the interest of producers and consumers alike.
Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of the 168th OPEC meeting held in Vienna, the minister said the OPEC member states are more concerned about necessary market stability than the current oil price levels.
"The prices are not the core point, but it's the market stability," he said, adding that OPEC ministers, during today's meeting, would review oil output rates and price levels, along with global crude stockpile with a view to determining output rates for the rest of this year.
Al-Saleh hoped that the meeting would come up with resolutions and measures that could serve the interest of the international oil market, and ensure balance in the market's supply and demand mechanism.
Earlier on Thursday, Kuwait's acting oil minister held meetings with a number of OPEC oil ministers in Vienna to discuss some subjects and items on the agenda of today's gathering.
Al-Saleh lauded the outcomes of his meetings as a significant opportunity to coordinate views and overtures on the situation of the global oil market.
The OPEC meeting comes as crude oil prices rose on Friday, with Brent crude oil futures edging up to USD 43.58 per barrel (pb) and US crude up to USD 40.63 pb from USD 40 pb on Wednesday. (Pick up previous) amg.mt