General Motors Corp's German automaker unit Opel might cut 3,500 jobs if the government does not lend a helping hand, a press report said on Wednesday.

GM Europe Chief Carl-Peter Forster said in an interview with Bild Zeitung newspaper, that job cuts would be expected in the future,' which employs almost 26,000 workers. That is just what we want to avoid.'

Mr Forster said, that GM Europe could be forced to close three factories as it seeks to achieve $1.2 billion (euro1 billion) in cost cuts through restructuring. Adding that, Opel needs 3.3 billion Euros of aid to save all these sites.

General Motors, which has asked the US government for around US$30 billion (24 billion Euros) in loans, is also in talks with German authorities on how to save its German subsidiary.

GM Europe is also speaking with the governments of Belgium, Britain and Spain, where Opel also has factories and employs 50,000 workers.

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