Clinton calls for lower oil prices

President Clinton has called for a steep drop in the price of oil.

He said the cost of a barrel should be cut to the low or mid twenty dollar mark, in order to sustain economic growth.

He warned that if the price remained too high - it's currently just above the thirty dollar mark - it would force oil importing nations into recession.

Mr Clinton said he'd be discussing oil production levels when he visits Nigeria - a member of the OPEC oil group - at the weekend.

An OPEC spokesman the acting secretary general, Dr Shukri Ghanem told the BBC output had already been raised, supply was exceeding demand, and the current prices would not create recessions.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service