Bush urges OPEC to weigh pain of high oil prices

U.S. President George W. Bush warned on Tuesday it would be a “mistake” for OPEC ministers meeting in Vienna to ignore the pain record-high oil prices are inflicting on the United States, the world’s top energy consumer.

In some of his strongest language to date, Bush turned up the heat on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, source of about a third of the globe’s oil supply.
Oil prices set new highs above $100 a barrel this week and average U.S. gasoline pump prices crept nearer to their record $3.22 a gallon set last May.

“My advice to OPEC — of course they haven’t listened to it — my advice to OPEC is understand the consequences of high energy prices, because I do,” Bush told reporters after talks with Jordan’s King Abdullah at the White House.

“I think it’s a mistake to have your biggest customer’s economy to slow down … as a result of high energy prices,” Bush said.

Guardian