Lebanese begin crisis talks on unity government

BEIRUT, Nov 6 (Reuters) Rival Lebanese leaders began talks today on Hezbollah demands for a national unity government in an attempt to avert a crisis threatening to plunge the country into chaos.

Anti-Syrian majority leaders sat down with pro-Syrian Hezbollah representatives and their allies in Beirut for ''national consultations'' set to continue throughout the week.

Hezbollah has led calls for a more representative government, with more opposition members, after what it saw as its victory in a war with Israel in July and August.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah vowed last week to stage peaceful protests demanding fresh elections unless his opponents, including the majority in Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's cabinet, agree to a new government by mid-November.

Anti-Syrian leaders have said they are willing to consider adding representatives of Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, to Siniora's Western-backed government.

But they opposed forming a new government or giving their opponents one third of cabinet seats in the one led by Siniora.

A third of the seats is enough to block key decisions.

REUTERS SP RAI1528