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Lebanese cabinet to meet on Wednesday to discuss violence

Other News Materials 14 May 2008 01:03 (UTC +04:00)

Lebanon's western-backed cabinet will meet on Wednesday to discuss the violence that has pitted members of the opposition-led by Hezbollah and supporters of the ruling majority for the past six days, dpa reported.

The tension between the opposition and the majority erupted after the government said it would investigate a Hezbollah telephone network and reassign airport security chief Colonel Wafik Chouckair over his alleged links to Hezbollah.

Clashes turned deadly last Thursday after Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah accused the government of declaring war against his party with the investigation.

The showdown saw Hezbollah gunmen seize large parts of west Beirut last week, plunging an already fragile nation into fear and uncertainty.

Opposition gunmen withdrew from Beirut's streets on Saturday after the army acted to overturn the decisions.

A government source refused to say if the government will announce after the session it has backed down from its decisions against Hezbollah.

Hezbollah has demanded that the government revoke its decisions before the group will open main roads inside the capital and Beirut's International Airport.

The meeting is scheduled to take place before the arrival of an Arab delegation headed by Arab League secretary general Amr Mussa in a bid to end the crisis.

The delegation is expected in Beirut on Wednesday.

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