A ray of hope for Lebanon?

The peace deal reached by the various Lebanese factions in Doha, Qatar, followed by the election of new president Michel Suleiman - Lebanon had been without a head of state for six months - offers some hope of stability for this country which has suffered so much in the recent past.

Lebanon has been plagued by foreign interference for far too long and there were genuine concerns that the country was again heading for a civil war after recent violent events in Beirut and other parts of the country between pro- and anti-government militias.

In a nutshell, the Doha agreement reached in Qatar gave the Western-backed ruling majority 16 Cabinet seats and the right to choose the Prime Minister. The Syrian- and Iranian-backed opposition (dominated by Hizbollah) got 11 Cabinet posts and, crucially, veto power.

The president was given the right to appoint three ministers and a consensus was reached over the banning of the use of weapons in internal conflicts, the removal of opposition protest camps in central Beirut and the setting up of a new law to divide the country into smaller electoral districts.

The peace deal is without doubt a step forward and there is perhaps room for cautious optimism, although one has to see just how far the two sides are ready to continue compromising in the interest of peace and stability. The Qatar agreement was itself a huge compromise, even though the pro-western government majority probably conceded more than the opposition by agreeing to give Hizbollah and its allies a veto in the Cabinet.

However, when faced with an almost impossible situation it is sometimes better to compromise, even excessively, if this is in the long-term interest of the country. We in Malta should know a thing or two about such a situation. Our 1987 constitutional amendment guaranteeing majority rule came at an extremely high (and unfair) price - a non-alignment clause in our Constitution - but ultimately the whole package was worth it as it led to Malta becoming a solid democracy.

I am not saying that Lebanon has now solved all its political problems, only that this agreement could have the potential for creating a stable and peaceful environment, which Lebanon so badly needs. Lebanon's new president has re-appointed Fouad Siniora - on the advice of the parliamentary majority - as prime minister to lead a new unity government. Even though Hizbollah and its allies were not pleased with this appointment they have pledged not to stand in the way of the formation of a new government.

Lebanon's recent crisis began in 2006 when opposition ministers resigned over differences with Mr Siniora's government over the international tribunal on the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Tensions increased as more anti-Syrian government politicians were assassinated and the failure of Parliament to elect a new President last November created a dangerous vacuum. Earlier this month 81 people died in clashes in Beirut after Hizbollah seized control of parts of the capital in response to the government's attempts to close down its private telecommunications network and the sacking of the Beirut airport chief who was said to be sympathetic to the opposition.

The Doha agreement has hopefully calmed down a very tense situation and all sides will have to work very hard at keeping the peace. Most important of all, foreign powers such as Iran, Syria and Israel, which have long influenced events in Lebanon, must allow the Lebanese to sort out their differences between themselves, without any undue interference.

The presence of the foreign ministers of Syria and Iran - which back the opposition - and France, Saudi Arabia, Italy and Spain - which back the government - as well as EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana (who also backs the government) - at Michel Suleiman's presidential inauguration was encouraging and shows that the new president has the blessing of the international community. The fact that US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice was not there is a pity, but it highlights Washington's displeasure with the fact that Hizbollah and its allies have acquired a veto in the new government of national unity. In his inaugural speech President Suleiman said there should be a "quiet dialogue" over Hizbollah's weapons and a way had to be found in order to integrate the organisation's military wing into the national army. This is in line with the Doha agreement which calls for Lebanese state sovereignty to be spread throughout the country.

The disarming of Hizbollah will undoubtedly be the new government's most difficult challenge - one that will require the co-operation of Syria and Iran (wishful thinking perhaps?) - but it is a goal well worth pursuing, as the existence of a 'state within a state' is clearly unacceptable.

President Suleiman also said he supported the UN international tribunal to bring to justice those responsible for the assassination of Mr Hariri, an extremely sensitive issue in Lebanon and Syria, as all indications point to Damascus being involved in the murder. Mr Suleiman is right, of course, in backing the tribunal, and one hopes that the UN will impose punitive measures on Syria if it is clearly established that it was behind the assassination.

The most important thing for Lebanon at this stage is for the major regional and international powers - the US, Israel, Syria and Iran - not to use Lebanon as a pawn in their disputes, and as much as possible adopt a 'hands off' approach when dealing with this country which deserves a bright future and should be allowed to sort out its problems on its own.