Opel in talks over government aid

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German carmaker Opel is in talks with the country's economy minister about a 3.3bn-euro (£2.93bn; $4.16bn) cash injection from the government.

The company, which is owned by troubled US carmaker General Motors, announced last week that it needed the money to avert job losses and plant closures.

Economy minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said he would not be rushed into making a decision about state aid.

Opel is suffering, like most global carmakers, from a slump in sales.

'Sound consideration'

Mr Guttenberg said the government would carry out "a very far-reaching examination" of Opel's proposals.

"We are dealing with taxpayer money and, therefore, we need sound consideration," he said.

The minister is meeting Opel chief executive Hans Demant and GM Europe president Carl-Peter Forster in Berlin.

GM Europe proposed last week that Opel should be partly separated from its parent company's US operations.

Such a move would require financing that GM is unable to provide.

The US carmaker, which was toppled by Toyota as the world's top-selling car firm earlier this year, is trying to wind down some of its European operations as part of a massive cost-cutting exercise.