ABC Asia Pacific TV / Radio Australia: One of the world's biggest oil companies, Shell, has announced its withdrawal from seven countries in the Pacific: Tuesday 22 November 2005

One of the world's biggest oil companies, Shell, has announced its withdrawal from seven countries in the Pacific.

The surprise move announced in the Fiji capital, Suva, will affect the company's business in the region's two largest nations, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

Shell Fiji's general manager, Peter Walsh, says the company decided last year to pull out of from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga and the Cook Islands.

He says Shell wants to focus on fewer, large-scale businesses.

Mr Walsh says the sale of Shell's operations in all seven Pacific countries should be finalised in the next 12 to 18 months.

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