(Adds Meridiana CEO comments)

ROME, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Italy's Meridiana Fly held talks with the country's development minister on Tuesday about the ailing airline's future, its CEO said after the meeting, but did not comment on speculation Qatar Airways could come to the rescue.

Meridiana Fly, which flies to and from the island of Sardinia and other destinations in Italy and abroad, is under a government-sponsored restructuring plan to help turn it around.

The regional carrier, which is owned by the Aga Khan, a businessman and spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims, put most of its employees on a temporary layoff scheme last April.

"The government is extremely focused on this issue ... I can't say more at this stage," Meridiana Chief Executive Marco Rigotti said when asked about potential talks with Qatar Airways.

According to one source close to the matter, Meridiana is discussing a plan to let the Qatari airline buy a stake in the Italian group.

Qatar Airways declined to comment on the issue.

According to some Italian newspapers, Qatar Airways could buy into the Italian carrier through a reserved capital increase.

(Reporting by Francesca Piscioneri in Rome, additional reporting by Nadia Saleem in Dubai; Writing by Francesca Landini; Editing by Mark Potter) ((francesca.landini@thomsonreuters.com; +39 02 66129437; Reuters Messaging: reutersitaly.thomsonreuters@reuters.net))

Keywords: ITALY AIRLINE/QATAR AIRWAYS