A decision on possible German government help for General Motors Corp.'s (GM) German Opel unit will take weeks and the government has made no pre-committments, Economic Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said Friday after talks with officials from GM and Opel.

Zu Guttenberg said there are still a number of outstanding questions which have to be answered and both sides agree "we are talking about a process that will take weeks."

GM Europe Chief Executive Carl-Peter Forster Monday presented the company's restructuring plan for Opel to the government and said GM Europe needs EUR3.3 billion in aid across Europe. GM posted a total 2008 loss of $30.9 billion.

German politicians are under pressure from labor unions to bail out Opel, GM's largest European brand, to help save the company's 25,000 jobs - a number which more than doubles when including parts suppliers and other Opel-linked companies.

"It was an open, good constructive talk," zu Guttenberg said. "From our point of view, General Motors has understood that there are a number of outstanding questions and they have signaled willingness to answer these questions, and GM's top management is in close contact with the U.S. government over the coming weeks."

GM Europe CEO Forster, who attended the meeting, told reporters talks were constructive and there won't be a decision in coming days.

"We are very well aware that we have to deal with a very complex matter and many detailed questions that we will answer in Europe, as far as they concern Europe, but in particularly also in the U.S.," he said. "We will do everything possible to answer these questions to the satisfaction of the federal government and to bring the (restructuring) plan to a good conclusion."

Representatives at the meeting included GM's Chief Operating Officer Frederick "Fritz" Henderson, GM Europe's Forster, Opel Chief Executive Hans Demant, zu Guttenberg, head of the chancellery Thomas de Maiziere and Deputy Finance Minister Joerg Asmussen.

Zu Guttenberg said that it is important to the German government that it find answers regarding GM parent company's "possible ties with the U.S. government." He said that this would happen during his trip to the U.S. from March 15-18, where he will meet with GM and the U.S. administration.

He said the government would examine the plausibility of all proposals.

A German government official told Dow Jones Newswires earlier Friday that GM doesn't own the patents of Opel any more because it has sold the rights to the U.S. Treasury in the hope of buying them back at a later stage.

Government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm told reporters that he couldn't comment on the patents issue.

Asked whether media reports saying that the chances for a bailout of Opel have diminished, economics ministry spokesman Steffen Moritz said "I have no knowledge of such an assessment in our house or anywhere else."

German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Opel unit should seriously think about the possibility of filing for insolvency as such a move could help the company protect its business assets.

Web sites: www.bmwi.de; www.gm.co

-By Andrea Thomas, Dow Jones Newswires; +49 (0)30 - 2888 410; andrea.thomas@dowjones.com