Kouchner brings together rival Lebanese leaders

BEIRUT, July 29 (Reuters) Some rival Lebanese leaders met face-to-face for the first time in months during a lunch at the French embassy in Beirut today, the only tangible result of a 3-day mediation visit by France's foreign minister.

Bernard Kouchner said the lunch, which he hosted, signalled a new phase in French efforts to resolve Lebanon's 8-month-old political crisis and the start of dialogue between the Western-backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition.

''In Lebanon, this is a triumph because we succeeded in gathering all these people together,'' he told reporters at Beirut's airport at the end of his visit.

He said the leaders had engaged with each other but much more needed to be done before a breakthrough was possible. He said he might return to Beirut in the second half of August.

''We are hopeful that there will be progress ... It is not a lost cause,'' he said. Kouchner reiterated his fears that Lebanon could plunge into a new civil war if the crippling crisis was not resolved through negotiations soon.

Kouchner flew to Cairo where he will discuss the Lebanese crisis with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa at a working dinner.

Asked what they would do about Lebanon, Kouchner said in Cairo: ''It's essential to put pressure so that the environment, that is to say, let's be clear, Syria and Iran, cannot exert an influence which would lead to war. '' ''I don't yet know how since I hope we are going to define that this evening.'' ABSENTEES The lunch in Lebanon was attended by all the key leaders of the majority coalition except Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

The main Shi'ite Muslim opposition leaders, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, were also absent, but all three sent representatives.

The main opposition leader to attended was Michel Aoun, a Christian former army general who spent the 1990s in exile in France.

Kouchner said his discussions with the various groupings in Beirut had focused on the two main issues: formation of a unity government and the presidential election set for Sept. 25.

Lebanese political sources had expected little from his trip because of the complexities of the crisis and the external links of local players with Syria, Iran and the United States.

Lebanon plunged into political deadlock in November when all five Shi'ite ministers and one Christian quit Siniora's cabinet over the opposition's demands for veto power.

Siniora, with US, European and Sunni Arab support, resisted opposition demands for his resignation.

The latest focus for rivalry between the ruling majority and its opponents is a parliament session on Sept. 25 to choose a president to replace the pro-Syrian incumbent, Emile Lahoud.

Many fear that Lebanon could plunge into civil strife if no successor is elected before Lahoud's term ends on Nov. 24.

Reuters JT VP0017