Norway Wants More Contact With Mideast Oil...

Norway Wants More Contact With Mideast Oil Producers: Europe’s top oil-producing country expressed interest in expanding contacts with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and Saudi Arabia but would not commit itself to measures aimed at stabilizing oil prices. “We are interested in close contact and dialogue with OPEC; what form the contact takes and what it will be called is of secondary importance,” Norwegian Industry and Energy Minister Jens Stoltenberg said. Last week, Saudi Oil Minister Hisham Nazer called for more cooperation between the OPEC Countries and non-OPEC states under a new “framework” or “club” to support prices. Nazer said non-OPEC states have at times hurt prices by raising output to meet increased demand, taking a “free ride” on OPEC restraint.