MEA share offering likely next year says Bank boss.

The Lebanese Government is  finalising plans to launch a public sale of 25 percent of the national carrier but not until the world economy improves and a new gov ernment backs the plan, the central bank governor said in a television interview.

"The tendency is to sell 25 percent of the shares we own in MEA," Riad Salameh told Al Arabiya television on the sidelines of an economic meeting in Kuwait.

Salameh said this would have to be done after the end of the current economic slowdown and when a new Lebanese government approves the plans for the initial public offering and the listing of shares on the Beirut bourse. In August 2008, Salameh said the environment was good to move ahead with a 25 percent IPO of MEA, which is owned by the central bank.

Lebanon's outgoing government has been plagued with problems during the rebuilding of the country after the varuis conflicts over reecent years and has been criticised for failing to implement major economic reforms, including privatisation in key sectors.

The airline is a prime candidate for an IPO and it is already showing signs of resurgence. It began flights to Baghdad last week.