German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday blasted General Motors (GM), the parent company of German carmaker Opel, for suddenly refusing to sell Opel last week after months of sale negotiations.

"I greatly regret this decision," Merkel said when addressing the German parliament, adding Opel workers had been "deeply disappointed."

GM would, therefore, have to pay the lion's share of costs to restructure the ailing carmaker, Merkel said, noting the Detroit-based GM would have to fund the major part of the Opel revamp from its own resources.

The German government had promised billions of euros in state aid to Opel's prospective buyer.

Local media reported GM chief Fritz Henderson had arrived in Germany on Monday ahead of the company setting out its proposals for Opel.

This is expected to result in GM slashing Opel's more-than 50,000 European workforce by 10,000, German news agency DPA said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 11, 2009)