OPEC's meeting this week in Vienna

VIENNA (Reuters) - The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries gathers this Friday in the Austrian capital, with delegates expecting a tough meeting as oil hovers near $45 a barrel.

Following are comments from OPEC ministers and other officials so far this week:

SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi oil minister Ali al-Naimi, seen as the architect of OPEC's strategy of defending market share, promised to listen to other OPEC members at Friday's meeting. "We will be there, we will listen and then decide."

VENEZUELA

Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in a speech reiterated his hopes for OPEC action. "Our (oil) minister Eulogio del Pino will put forth a very clear proposal to respect production ceilings ... and examine a 5 percent cut in production," he said.

IRAN

Iran's oil minister had sent a letter to the head of OPEC urging members to stick to the group's production ceiling, news agency Mehr reported. "While production is supposed to be 30 million barrels a day, it has reached around 31.3 million barrels a day," the agency quoted Iran's OPEC representative Mehdi Asali as saying.

ECUADOR

Ecuador's oil minister, asked if he sees an improved oil market next year, said "Yes, I think so."

(Reporting by OPEC newsroom)