Germany sees Canadian auto parts maker Magna as the front-runner to take over carmaker Opel, but it would reassess its position if another buyer for the General Motors subsidiary emerged, a government spokesman said on Wednesday.

The Federal Government has not changed its position, spokesman Thomas Steg said at a regular news conference.

We were actively involved, and assume that the arrangement between General Motors, Opel and Magna in this memorandum of understanding is a good foundation for Opel's future, he said.

Belgian RHJ International and China's Beijing Automotive have made rival bids for Opel.

Steg said Berlin would be awaiting the outcome of GM's negotiations with other interested parties and did not exclude a new round of negotiations should the Magna deal fail.

If GM were to come to agreement with another buyer, which is hypothetical, we'd have to see what (they) expect from the federal government, the German states, or the public purse, and that will have to be negotiated, he said. (Reporting by Noah Barkin; Writing by Brian Rohan; Editing by Greg Mahlich)

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