Doha/Beirut  - Lebanon's rival political powers agreed, under a deal to end an 18-month political standoff, to elect a president and form a national unity government in which the opposition would have veto power, Qatar's premier announced Wednesday.

After five days of talks in the Qatari capital Doha, Lebanon's ruling coalition majority and the opposition powers clinched a deal under which parliament would convene within 24 hours to elect army chief, General Michel Suleiman, as president, Qatar's Prime Minister Hamad bin-Jaber al-Thani announced.

Deep political disagreements have left Lebanon without a president since November and brought the country close to a civil war.

Under the agreement, a national unity cabinet is to be formed in which the coalition majority would have 16 seats and the Hezbollah- led opposition 11 seats, giving it a veto.

Three ministerial posts would be filled by candidates nominated by the president.

The agreement gave the opposition what it always asked for: veto power. The opposition, however, commits itself under the agreement not to withdraw from cabinet as it did months ago, crippling the government of Prime Minister Fouad Seniora.

Lebanon's powers also agreed not to resort to the use of force and violence irrespective of their political differences.

Political leaders agreed to open a dialogue to strengthen the authority of the state over all Lebanese territory and to bring all military and security powers under the control of the state.

All parties agreed on a debate to amend an electoral law, which would be crucial in parliamentary election due in 2009.

During the Doha talks, the opposition had refused a proposed delay to the debate of the election law.

Lebanon has been engulfed in its worst political crisis since 2006. The parliament has failed 19 times to convene and elect a new president since pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud ended his term in 2007.

The Lebanese delegates - three from the government and three from the Hezbollah-led opposition - have been meeting in Doha since last Friday in a bid to resolve the political impasse and to ease the tensions running high after bloody sectarian fighting claimed 82 lives two weeks ago. (dpa)