Kuwait is calling on Russia to cooperate more closely with OPEC, the Arab state's information and oil minister said on Tuesday.
"We hope that there will be closer cooperation between Russia and OPEC. This will be mutually beneficial," Sheikh Ahmad al-Abdullah al-Sabah told a news conference in Moscow, adding that it would help keep world oil prices stable.
Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said Russia has put forward a number of proposals on expanding cooperation but "received no positive response" from OPEC.
"I am glad that Kuwait's oil minister, who is a very influential member of this organization, has brought up the issue of improving cooperation with Russia," Shmatko said.
Russia fell out with OPEC last September after refusing to scale back oil production to help support plunging prices.
Shmatko said later that Russia would develop cooperation with OPEC, but would decide on oil exports according to its national interests.
MOSCOW, August 3 (RIA Novosti)
