Hizbullah Deal Ends Lebanon Deadlock

Lebanon's long-standing political deadlock came to an end yesterday as the western-backed government conceded key demands to the Hizbullah-led opposition, agreeing a national unity coalition and paving the way for the election of a new president by consensus.

There were scenes of jubilation and bursts of celebratory gunfire in Beirut as opposition supporters began dismantling their protest camp in the city centre when the deal was announced in the Qatari capital, Doha, after five days of talks.

The agreement, which ends 18 months of impasse, followed armed clashes this month in which 80 people died, evoking bitter memories of the civil war. But the deal leaves fundamental issues unresolved, notably the Shia militia's weapons and its status as a state within a state.

The new president, scheduled to be elected on Sunday, will be the Lebanese army commander, Michel Suleiman.

Concessions by the government included agreeing to an opposition veto over major decisions - which it had previously resisted - and electoral law reforms that more accurately reflect the country's sectarian balance. The parties also agreed on a dialog to boost state authority and outline the relationship between the state and armed organizations - code for Hizbullah.

It was a "historic day" said Amr Musa, secretary general of the Arab League.

Iran and Syria, Hizbullah's allies, welcomed the agreement, as did their harshest Arab critic, Saudi Arabia. The US, which shuns Hizbullah as a terrorist organization, called the agreement a "necessary and positive step".

Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, of the Carnegie Foundation, said: "It's not a proper solution by any means and doesn't address the root causes or grievances that led to this crisis in the first place. The deal was a product of the armed clashes which tilted the balance in favor of the opposition."

Supporters of the ruling coalition, which is made up of Sunnis, Christians and Druze, put a brave face on the outcome, but acknowledged the government, with little real support from its western allies, had been weakened and had had little choice. Saad al-Hariri, who is likely to succeed the prime minister, Fouad Siniora, said: "I know the wounds are deep and my injury is deep, but we only have each other to build Lebanon."

Analysts suggested that Hizbullah had risked its legitimacy by employing the weapons it used to fight Israel against fellow Lebanese, though turning to violence when ordered to dismantle its communications network to have succeeded. "The terrible thing is that Hizbullah and its allies were rewarded for the use of their weapons," said Makram Rabah, a political analyst with the pro-government NowLebanon website.

One western diplomat, pointing to likely arguments over ministerial posts, said: "Its a huge step forward but there are plenty of pitfalls ahead."