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DETROIT

Instead of providing modern assistance, the Treasury Department told GM without ceasing Friday that the Bush administration will shift its focus to speeding up the $25 billion loan program for fuel-efficient vehicles approved by Congress in September and administered by means of the Energy Department.

Treasury officials were said to be loath to make broad the $700 billion financial-rescue program to include industrial companies or to play a part in a GM-Chrysler merger that could cost tens of thousands of jobs.

But it was unclear whether they were also seeking to avoid making any decision that would conflict by the goals of the next administration.

The Democratic candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, has said in recent days that he supports increasing aid to the troubled auto companies, while Sen. John McCain has not said whether he would support aid beyond the $25 billion.

While GM and Chrysler continue to talk, no behave is expected until the government clarifies its role, admitting that any. Potential investors acquire been hesitant to back the merger without federal assistance.

GM’s chairman, Rick Wagoner, had lobbied Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson for emergency aid to the auto companies under the bailout program to stabilize the financial markets.

The Bush administration is placid allowing for a range of options to aid the Detroit automakers, which are losing billions of dollars and rapidly depleting their cash reserves, declared auto-industry and administration officials, who did not want to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the discussions.

The first step is to secure the Energy Department to speed the release of the $25 billion in low-interest loans for GM, Chrysler and the Ford.

Beyond that, the administration is also bringing the Commerce Department into discussions about channeling additional aid to the automakers.

With auto sales deteriorating to their lowest proportion in 15 years, Detroit’session traditional Big Three are struggling to stay solvent and avoid bankruptcy.

The deepening troubles led GM into merger talks in September through Chrysler’s more than half owner, the private equity partnership Cerberus Capital Management, and the ask for to the Treasury Department for back.

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