US puts oil case to Opec

Talks aimed at averting a drastic change in world oil production -- and the knock-on effect to global economies -- have taken place in Vienna.

The secretary-general of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting States (Opec), Ali Rodriguez, met the US Energy Secretary, Bill Richardson, who is concerned about the prospect of a cut in oil output.

Most members of Opec are pressing for a cut of up to two-million barrels a day worldwide after prices of crude oil fell by about a third in recent months. Opec says an automatic cut of half-a-million barrels a day is almost inevitable. Mr Richardson told a news conference after the meeting that Washington felt that some kind of oil price stability was being reached - he did not want to see it adversely affected by precipitous action.

Mr Rodriguez confirmed that Opec would take America's views into account when deciding output levels. It is due to consider output quotas at a special meeting on January 17.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service