Merkel says Obama call helped seal Opel deal

BERLIN, May 30 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday U.S. President Barack Obama helped achieve a breakthrough deal for General Motors GM.N unit Opel with a telephone call on Friday just before the final round of talks.

Merkel also said she expected the final details on the takeover by Canada's Magna (MGa.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) can be resolved quickly. She also praised Economy Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg for raising critical questions about the deal even though he expressed his opposition to the very end.

(Reporting by Erik Kirschbaum)