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TURIN, Italy (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Chairman John Elkann said on Thursday he was confident the group would finalize its tie-up with Peugeot owner PSA this year and dismissed concerns about a lawsuit launched by rival General Motors.

“Judging from how both the FCA and PSA teams are working, I’m confident in saying that a binding memorandum will be signed by the end of the year,” he told reporters in Turin.

He said the group was not worried by a lawsuit from General Motors, accusing Fiat Chrysler of bribing United Auto Workers (UAW) union officials over many years to corrupt the bargaining process, saying the allegations were baseless.