Iran-Lebanon-FM
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Friday welcomed formation of national unity government in Lebanon.

Talking to IRNA, he expressed hope that formation of the Lebanese unity government would strengthen solidarity of the Lebanese people and would lead to settlement of peace and stability inside the country.

Lebanon announced a 30-member national unity government on Friday after weeks of negotiations between the country's political rivals, and more than a year-and-a-half political crisis.

The lineup was announced in a decree signed by President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, seven weeks after an accord which saved Lebanon from the brink of renewed civil war.

The accord between Lebanon's political rivals sealed in Doha on May 21 allocated 16 cabinet seats to the Western-backed parliamentary majority and 11 to the opposition led by Hezbollah, giving it veto powers in order to end a conflict which had triggered the worst fighting since the 1975-90 civil war.

Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun, whose party was not represented in the previous cabinet, took four cabinet posts plus the deputy premiership.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the European Union's French presidency on Friday hailed the breakthrough.

The cabinet's inaugural meeting is to take place on Wednesday.

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---> Iran-Lebanon-FM