OPEC accepts Russia's proposal to hold a joint seminar in Moscow by year end

OPEC has accepted Russia's proposal to hold a joint seminar in Moscow by the end of the year, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said Thursday. Shmatko told journalists that the decision to organize a workshop had been made following two-day telephone talks with OPEC secretary general Abdallah el-Badri and Qatari vice PM Abdullah Al-Attiyah. The parties agreed to arrange a meeting in Moscow by the end of the year. "The suggestion that the meeting be held in Moscow was made by the Russian party, and the other two parties accepted our proposal. The meeting is to be held in a form of Russia-OPEC joint workshop. We will decide on exact dates later, but I believe the meeting will be held by the end of the current year", Shmatko said.