CAIRO: For American automaker General Motors, earnings fell by nearly two-thirds in the first quarter as the company's European operations racked up losses due to the Euro-zone dept crisis, the company said in a press release on Thursday. Net income of the company has fallen to $1.35 billion from $3.42 billion a year earlier, after the company lost $300 million in its European operations, as the debt crisis is still unsolved amid expectation to more troubles for Europe in the few coming months. Basic earnings per share sank to 64 cents from $2.09, or 60 cents on a diluted basis, but the company's key markets in US and China remained strong; with global vehicle deliveries rising by about 100,000 units to 2.3 million in first quarter of 2012, which ended in March 31. “The company set a sales record in China in that quarter, it has boost our earnings for this period,” said GM chief executive Dan Akerson. “New products are starting to make a difference in South America but Europe remains a work in progress,” added Akerson.