OTTAWA (AFP) - "Life goes on," Magna International chairman Frank Stronach said Wednesday of General Motors' decision to scrap plans to sell its unit Opel to Magna and its Russian partner.

General Motors agreed in a preliminary deal in September to sell to Russia's largest lender, state-owned Sberbank, and Canadian auto parts maker Magna a 55-percent stake in Opel.

Tuesday, GM board's nixed the sale.

"Life goes on," Stronach told the daily Globe and Mail. "You take it as it comes and you go on and look for other opportunities. It's not for us to criticize the customer."

GM is Magna's largest customer.