FRANKFURT -- General Motors Co.'s board begins a two-day meeting in Detroit Tuesday that could see it decide the fate of its European unit Opel, an outcome German business leaders and politicians hope preserves thousands of jobs, according to The Associated Press.

Opel spokesman Frank Klaas said Opel did not have any comment on the meeting, while GM Europe officials in Zurich, Switzerland, where the company is based, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

GM, which has repeatedly delayed a decision, has two bids for Ruesselsheim-based Adam Opel GmbH to choose from, with German officials, Opel workers and unions repeatedly - and loudly - declaring support for the offer from Canadian auto parts maker Magna International Inc. and Russian state-backed bank Sberbank. Magna has pledged to preserve more jobs and not close the four Opel plants in Germany, something officials say gives its bid an advantage.

The other bid is from RHJ International, a Brussels-based investment house, which has not guaranteed to keep as many jobs in Germany and could sell the unit back to GM at a later date.