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Kuwait optimistic about Doha meeting on oil output freeze

The majority of global oil producers have confirmed their participation in the meeting in Doha scheduled for April 17

© Ruslan Shamukov/TASS

AL-KUWAIT, April 11. /TASS/. Kuwait assumes the meeting of oil-producing countries in Doha (Qatar) on April 17 will be positive and will result in an agreement reached by attending parties, Kuwait's representative to OPEC Mohammed Al-Shatti told TASS Monday.

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"We are optimistic," he said, adding that this is the case due to a number of factors, particularly, last week’s meeting of representatives of Latin American energy exporters who called for participants of the Doha forum to assume measures on stabilizing the market situation.

When asked whether Iran and its decision not to freeze the level of oil production will be able to affect the results of the meeting on April 17, Mohammed Al-Shatti replied in the negative.

"I’d like to stress it out that everyone is going there (to Doha) for a productive meeting. And I really think it will be so," he said, adding that otherwise a meeting of representatives of global oil-producing countries would be senseless.

In mid-February oil ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Venezuela and Russia’s energy minister Alexander Novak announced an intention to keep oil production at January levels in 2016 in a move to stabilize energy prices if other crude producers join the initiative. The majority of global oil producers have confirmed their participation in the meeting in Doha scheduled for April 17. Novak said earlier a resolution on non-increase of crude output by the countries jointing the agreement compared with the January 2016 level, may be passed at the meeting.

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