RIYADH Nov 22 (Reuters) - The global oil market is balanced and prices are "comfortable", OPEC Secretary-General Abdullah al-Badri said on Tuesday.
The oil exporter group is due to meet in Vienna on Dec. 14 to discuss production levels and the outlook for demand, with the eurozone crisis and tension over OPEC member Iran's nuclear programme tugging prices in opposite directions.
"The market is currently balanced, prices are comfortable and I think we are going to the meeting with a positive atmosphere," Badri told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
Saudi oil minister Ali al-Naimi said on Sunday that he also saw the oil market as balanced.
ICE Brent crude was trading around $107.40 a barrel in London on Tuesday morning, down from $118 during OPEC's June meeting, but on course for an all-time record high average price for the year with simmering tensions over Iran's nuclear programme supporting prices.
Iraq's oil minister said in Tokyo earlier on Tuesday he expected OPEC members to agree to trim their output when they meet because of weak demand.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) raised production from June to compensate for the loss of Libyan oil and to prevent high fuel prices from hindering economic growth after failing to convince OPEC to lift its group production target at their acrimonious last meeting.
Oil output from OPEC member Libya has since resumed and risen more rapidly than many expected, while OPEC has trimmed its demand outlook, prompting OPEC price hawk Iran to call for Gulf OPEC producers to cut to pre-Libya crisis volumes.
Ignoring calls from Iran to cut production to allow for the rapid resurgence of Libyan output, Kuwait pumped over 3 million bpd last week - evidence that Gulf countries continue to strive to push oil prices below $100 a barrel. (Reporting by Reem Shamseddine, writing by Daniel Fineren; editing by Jason Neely)
