BEIRUT, May 15: Arab mediators unveiled a deal on Thursday to defuse a long-running feud between rival political factions that drove deeply divided Lebanon to the brink of a new civil war.

Under the agreement announced after two days of intensive talks, the factions agreed to re-launch a dialogue to end a paralysing political crisis that boiled over into six days of deadly sectarian gunbattles last week.

Arab leaders have been scrambling to end the standoff between the US-backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition, a dispute regarded as part of a wider conflict between US regional allies and their foes in Syria and Iran.

Under a six-point plan announced by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani, the rivals agreed to go to Qatar on Friday to begin a national dialogue to try to elect a president and form a national unity government.

“May 15 is normally a day we consider a sad one because of the memories it evokes,” said Arab League chief Amr Mussa, referring to the creation of the Jewish state 60 years ago which is regarded as a “catastrophe” by Arabs.

“But this May 15, 2008 was witness to an important step forward on the Lebanese scene because of the success towards relaunching dialogue and a return to normal life and an accord between all the parties.” In the biggest challenge yet to Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, fighters from the Iranian-backed opposition rose up against pro-government forces last week, taking over swathes of west Beirut in the worst sectarian violence since the 1975-1990 civil war.

Under Thursday’s deal, the rivals agreed to launch a dialogue “to shore up the authority of the Lebanese state throughout the country,” to refrain from using weapons to further political aims and to remove armed militants from the streets.

It also called for the removal of all roadblocks that have paralysed air traffic and closed major highways, and for the rivals to refrain from using language that could incite violence.—AFP