SummarySummary Companies Saudi minister says emergency stocks used to manipulate marketsSays kingdom remains most reliable and stable oil supplierSays we are for Saudi Arabia, not with or against anyone elseRIYADH, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said on Tuesday some countries were using their emergency stocks to manipulate markets when their purpose should be to mitigate any shortages of supply.
The comment appeared to be a criticism of U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to sell oil from the nation's emergency oil reserve as he tries to lower gasoline prices ahead of mid-term elections on Nov. 8.
"It is my profound duty to make clear to the world that losing (releasing) emergency stocks may be painful in the months to come," the Saudi minister told the Future Initiative Investment (FII) conference in Riyadh.
The prince said Saudi Arabia had chosen to be "the maturer" party when asked about how to get the energy relationship with the U.S. back on track.
Is there any room for we are for Saudi Arabia and the people of Saudi Arabia," he said.