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Empresas y finanzas

GM says won't sell Opel; Peugeot alliance on track


    FRANKFURT (Reuters) - General Motors reaffirmed its commitment to its ailing European arm Opel, rejecting on Friday speculation it might be interested in disposing of the loss-making brand to rival Fiat .

    "Opel is not for sale. GM fully stands behind Opel," GM Vice Chairman Stephen Girsky said in a brief statement sent by email.

    Earlier on Friday, Italian daily Il Sole-24 Ore wrote in an unsourced report that Fiat Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne is ready to buy Opel if GM's alliance with France's PEUGEOT (UG.PA) dissolves.

    "Opel is a fully integrated part of GM's global footprint and vital for GM's future success in Europe. The GM-PSA alliance is fully on track," Girsky said in the statement.

    Fiat had expressed interest in acquiring Opel -- known as Vauxhall in the UK -- in 2009, only to see a consortium around Canada's Magna be awarded exclusivity in negotiations with GM that later collapsed.

    (Reporting By Christiaan Hetzner)