Paris, The Indonesia Post – French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on Tuesday reiterated the need to improve the functioning of Europe’s energy markets as soaring energy prices in the region put pressure on consumers.
“I know how worrying this is,” Le Maire told reporters as he arrived at the European Union Economic and Financial Affairs Council (EcoFin) meeting in Brussels.
World oil prices rose more than one US dollar (around Rp. 14,300) on Tuesday, rising to their highest level in more than seven years on concerns about possible disruptions to oil supplies after Yemen’s Houthi group attacked the United Arab Emirates.
The attack escalated hostilities between the Iran-aligned group and the Saudi-led coalition.
Earlier on Monday (17/1), Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said he was “always comfortable” with world crude oil prices.
“I have always been comfortable (with oil prices). The word ‘concerned’ is not in my dictionary,” the Saudi energy minister told reporters in Dubai. He attended the opening of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit at the Dubai Expo 2020 location.
He made the statement when responding to a question about the rising world fuel prices. (ojn/bbs)
Comment