MOSCOW, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Russia's anti-monopoly watchdog
said on Thursday it had delayed its approval of a joint venture
between Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft and Royal
Dutch Shell for technical reasons.
The watchdog said this month it was delaying by three months
Shell's purchase of 9.3 billion roubles ($145.73 million) worth
of shares in Gazprom Neft subsidiary Meretoyakhaneftegaz.
Shell is expected to buy a 50% stake in Meretoyakhaneftegaz,
which holds licensing rights to the Meretoyakhinskoye oil field.
(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Writing by Tom Balmforth;
Editing by Edmund Blair)