BAGHDAD, May 22 (Reuters) - Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar Ali al-Luaibi said on Monday he agreed with Saudi Arabia on the need for extending OPEC crude output cuts for a further nine months.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih, speaking at the same news conference in Baghdad, said the Iraqi prime minister also agreed on the need to extend OPEC cuts for a nine-month period.

Existing output curbs by OPEC and non-OPEC producers were due to last for the first six months of 2017. A meeting this week of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries this week will discuss whether the cuts are extended.

(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed and Isabel Coles; Editing by Edmund Blair) ((edmund.blair@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging: edmund.blair.thomsonreuters.com@thomsonreuters.net))

Keywords: OIL OPEC/SAUDI IRAQ