  We have performed detailed numerical calculations of the non-conservative
evolution of close X-ray binary systems with intermediate-mass (2.0-6.0 M_sun)
donor stars and a 1.3 M_sun accreting neutron star. We calculated the thermal
response of the donor star to mass loss, in order to determine its stability
and follow the evolution of the mass transfer. Under the assumption of the
"isotropic re-emission model" we demonstrate that in many cases it is possible
for the binary to prevent a spiral-in and survive a highly super-Eddington
mass-transfer phase (1 << M_dot/M_Edd < 10^5) on a sub-thermal timescale, if
the convective envelope of the donor star is not too deep. These systems thus
provide a new formation channel for binary millisecond pulsars with heavy CO
white dwarfs and relatively short orbital periods (3-50 days). However, we
conclude that to produce a binary pulsar with a O-Ne-Mg white dwarf or P_orb ~1
day (e.g. PSR B0655+64) the above scenario does not work, and a spiral-in phase
is still considered the most plausible scenario for the formation of such a
system.
