11/7/2009 10:24 AM ET
(RTTNews) -
Ending a five-months-old political deadlock in Lebanaon, Syrian-backed opposition factions agreed to join a unity government proposed by their pro-Western rivals.
Partners of the Shiite Hezbollah-led opposition agreed Friday night on a complicated power sharing formula that gives Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri's coalition 15 seats in the cabinet, the opposition 10 seats, and 5 seats to nominees of President Michel Suleiman, who is seen as a neutral figure.
The cabinet will be announced after the opposition proposes its nominees, reports said Saturday.
In the country's closely-contested general elections in June, the Sunni-dominated March 14 ruling coalition overcame stiff resistance from Hezbollah-led coalition, winning 71 seats in the 128-member parliament.
Entrusted with the challenging task of forming a coalition cabinet and keeping the nation united, Hariri submitted in September to the President a list of his proposed 30-member cabinet, which was bitterly denounced by the Hezbollah-led opposition.
He abandoned efforts to form national unity government and resigned as Prime Minister-designate after failing to realize a consensus among the majority and minority factions on a cabinet line-up.
But within a week, the President re-designated Hariri as Prime Minister.
Reports say an improvement in relations between Saudi Arabia and Syria paved the way for a breakthrough in negotiations.
by RTT Staff Writer
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