Troubled European plane-maker EADS is considering the possibility of listing on the London Stock Exchange, new chief executive Louis Gallois said at the Farnborough Air Show yesterday.

EADS is already quoted in Paris, Frankfurt and Madrid.

Mr Gallois also confirmed the company's target of having 10 billion euros (£6.89 billion) of defencerelated sales in 2007, adding that he supports having a British board member.

Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling said the Government and EADS agreed in principle to have a Briton on the EADS board if BAE systems sells its stake in EADS unit Airbus.

EADS co-chief executive Tom Enders said the board member would be appointed by EADS.

"We have every reason to contemplate having British people on the board, but we have to get out of this nationality trap. We have to have someone who can contribute value, not just someone who can protect British jobs," he said.

Mr Gallois said the company considers its presence in the UK to be essential, although it would not give guarantees on jobs.

He also said the company is on its way to agreeing in principle with the Govern-ment to prolong the commit-ment of Airbus and EADS to its British presence, although he did not give details.

EADS has about 17,000 staff in the UK, of whom about 12,000 work for Airbus at sites in Bristol and near Chester, where it builds aircraft wings.

"It would be absurd for EADS and Airbus not to take advantage of the facilities at Chester and I don't know where else we would be able to build the wings other than in Chester," Mr Gallois said.

Libya returned to the global aviation market for the first time on a significant scale in almost 30 years yesterday with a deal to buy Airbus jets for $1.7 billion (£928.9 million).

The move to buy European jets on behalf of Afriqiyah Airways is among the most significant non-oil deals since the lifting of UN sanctions in 2003 and Libya's first major plane order since 1978.

The US last week extended a diplomatic thaw by author-ising aircraft exports to the North African nation - but the first hard business went to Airbus.

"We want to have a strategic partnership with Europe to develop Africa in all its aspects - airlines, construction, tourism. Our aim is to develop across Africa," said Bashir Saleh, chief of staff to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Afriqiyah signed a memorandum of understanding to buy up to 14 medium-haul A320 planes, which seat 150 people, and up to six wide-body A330 planes, which can carry 253 people over longer distances.

"It is the first large aircraft order in 30 years after many years of embargoes and sanctions on Libya," Afriqiyah chief executive Abdallah Sabri Shadi said.

"It is definitely a big boost and a new start to aviation and transport businesses in Libya and I think we will see more demand from new operators for Airbus or Boeing."

Meanwhile, the Government signed a contract valued at about £3 billion with BAE Systems for 12 new Nimrod maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

The contract, delayed since the early part of this decade was announced at Farnborough by Defence Secretary Des Browne.

The deal involves the next generation of Nimrod, the MRA4 which will succeed the in-service Nimrod MR2.

After Mr Browne announced the deal, the MRA4 made its first public appearance in a fly-past above the show. It could fill a number of roles for the RAF.