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MOSCOW, May 29 (Reuters) - Russia is calling on oilproducers around the world to refrain from increasing output,Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday, according toRussian news agencies, just days before he is due to meetofficials from OPEC.
The Russian economy has been hit hard by lower oil prices,which have almost halved from a peak in June last year of $115per barrel. Oil and gas sales account for around half orRussia's state budget revenues.
"We call for all countries to keep their output unchanged,"Novak was quoted as saying by TASS news agency. Several otherlocal media outlets also reported his call to global oilproducers.
The Russian minister is due to hold talks with someofficials from the Organization of the Petroleum ExportingCountries (OPEC) next month in Vienna, just before the group'smeeting on Jun.5.
Russia is not a member of OPEC, and Novak said Moscow didnot plan to seek an agreement with the group on specificproduction levels.
OPEC is not expected to cut oil production to shore upprices.
The group has increased production by 1.4 million barrelsper day (bpd) over the past year, with Saudi output alonejumping by 450,000 bpd year-on-year to 10.15 million in April.
Russia has pushed its own production up by 200,000 bpd overthe past year, hitting an all-time high of more than 10.7million bpd in April. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Pravin Char)
