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Oman sees Opec output up by 1.5 mbpd

KUWAIT: Oman's Oil Minister Mohammad bin Hamad al-Rumhy said he expected Opec to raise production by 1.5 million barrels per day at its ministerial meeting in Vienna on Monday, the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA reported.

KUNA, in a report from the Omani capital Muscat, said Rumhy made his comments to it on Saturday night before leaving for Vienna, where he will attend the Opec meeting as an observer.

"In answer to a question on raising production the minister expressed his belief that the Vienna meeting will resolve the issue by raising production in the region of 1.5 million bpd," KUNA said.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries has been under pressure to raise output to ease high oil prices and prevent economic damage among the oil importing nations of Asia and the West.-Reuters