Osaka, Japan ? Pushing aside worries in the West about high oil prices, several petroleum ministers said Wednesday that OPEC agreed to keep its production of crude steady for now, and blamed the recent price pinch on talk of war in Iraq.

Consuming nations, including the United States, want more oil in the market especially with demand for winter heating fuel ramping up. But as ministers of the oil exporting cartel met for informal talks ahead of today’s official output meeting, many indicated the group will not act now.

OPEC’s key player, Saudi Arabia, has not disclosed publicly its stance for today’s meeting. But Kuwait’s acting minister said Wednesday that Saudi oil minister Ali Naimi already has agreed with the majority that favors keeping OPEC’s stated output capped at 21.7 million barrels a day.

“Everybody is willing to keep the current OPEC ceiling,” Sheikh Ahmed Al Fahd Al Ahmed Al Sabah said after a meeting with Naimi. Saudi Arabia has the most oil, and its decisions often sway the group.