BERLIN (Reuters) - The top priority in negotiations to sell parts of insolvent German airline Air Berlin (>> Air Berlin Plc) to Lufthansa (>> Deutsche Lufthansa) and easyJet (>> EasyJet) should be to secure as many jobs as possible, German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries said on Monday.

"Now begins the decisive phase of the negotiations, which must be quickly concluded in the interest of staff and passengers alike," Zypries told Reuters in an emailed statement.

"The goal must be to keep as many jobs as possible and secure collective agreements as well as to develop the most important business parts of the company," she added.

(Reporting by Gernot Heller; Writing by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Michelle Martin)