Hanover, Germany - A senior Abu Dhabi official said Wednesday he was scouting for investment opportunities in Germany - but denied that General Motors' European operations with its flagship Opel brand was on his list.

In an interview at the Hanover Fair, a major annual industry show, Mohammed Omar Abdullah of the Abu Dhabi Economic Development Ministry said he was not aware that Abu Dhabi intended to invest in Opel, a volume carmaker based near Frankfurt.

A month ago, Abu Dhabi's sovereign capital fund bought a major stake in another German automotive group, Daimler, and a German state premier, Juergen Ruettgers of North Rhine Westphalia, has mediated contacts between Opel and Abu Dhabi's ruling family.

Speaking to the dpa-AFX news agency, Abdullah said he was in Germany both to promote trade and to scout for investment options.

"Whenever an opportunity for cooperation arises, we will have a look at it," he said, adding that small and medium-sized enterprises were also of interest. "The Germans have the best know-how and the best reputation," he added.

Abdullah said Abu Dhabi officials had a focus on investing in regenerative energy, health care, petrochemicals and aerospace.

The decisive issue was always how the yield was, he said. (dpa)