Scandinavian airline SAS AB (SAS.SK) aims to sell its stake in British Midland Airways Ltd., or BMI, as "soon as possible," an SAS spokeswoman told Dow Jones Newswires Tuesday.

SAS will be selling the 20% stake in U.K. carrier BMI, in addition to stakes in other airlines, as part of its effort to focus on core business, she added. She declined to comment on whether SAS is in talks with German carrier Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA.XE) regarding the sale. Lufthansa already holds a 30%-minus-one-share stake in BMI.

Last October, BMI founder and majority shareholder Michael Bishop exercised an option that obliges Lufthansa to acquire 50%-plus-one-share in BMI, as part of a contract that was signed 10 years ago. Lufthansa has said preconditions for the deal haven't been met. Bishop is now attempting to legally force Lufthansa to carry out the purchase.

Company Web site: www.sasgroup.net

-By Kirsten Bienk, Dow Jones Newswires; +49 (0)40 3574 3116; kirsten.bienk@dowjones.com