Five pro-Syrian Shi'ite Muslim ministers from Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal movement, resigned from Lebanon's cabinet on Saturday after the collapse of all-party talks on giving their camp more say in government.

The resignation of all the Shi'ite ministers from the 24-member Western-backed cabinet came two days before it was scheduled to discuss a draft UN document setting up a tribunal to try the killers of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

Many Lebanese blame Syria for Hariri's killing but Damascus denies involvement. Anti-Syrian majority leaders say Hezbollah and its ally want a decisive say in government to block key decisions such as approving the tribunal.

The pro-Syrian camp says they want better representation in the cabinet and that they had agreed to the tribunal but want to discuss its details.

While the resignations will not bring down the government, they pose a major challenge to the majority anti-Syrian coalition in a country where the political system is based on a delicate sectarian balance.

Prime Minister Fouad Siniora rejected the resignations but a senior political source close to Hezbollah said the ministers stood by their decision to quit.

"To pave the way for the majority to practice what it wants freely and so that we don't cover what we are not convinced of... we announce the resignation of our representatives in the current cabinet," Hezbollah and Amal said in a joint statement.

The two groups allied to Syria said the anti-Syrian majority had rejected their demands for a decisive say in government during week-long talks that collapsed earlier in the day.

The United States and its allies in Lebanon are not keen to see Hezbollah, which Washington regards as a terrorist organisation, exert more influence over the government.

Spiralling crisis

The escalating political crisis could provoke confrontation on the streets of Beirut at a time of rising tension between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims.

"Things will get worse. There will be a protest move soon," a senior political source close to Hezbollah said earlier. "The climate at today's meeting was very bad. This stand (by the anti-Syrian) majority will not pass without reaction."

Lebanon received from the United Nations on Friday a draft document outlining the structure and legal framework of the Hariri tribunal. Siniora had called a cabinet meeting for today to discuss the draft.

Pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud opposed the cabinet meeting, saying he needed more time to study the draft.

Anti-Syrian leaders who took part in the failed talks tried to ease fears that the crisis would spill onto the streets, dashing hopes of a recovery from last summer's war with Israel.

"I don't know who is spreading a climate of fear and tension as if something is about to happen. Nothing will happen," said Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces, a Christian party in the anti-Syrian camp.

Source: China Daily