BEIRUT: Lebanon s rival factions are close to agreement on a new unity government nearly two months after a Western-backed alliance won parliamentary elections, speaker Nabih Berri said on Wednesday.

I can affirm that the political process concerning the formation of the new government is complete, Berri told reporters after meeting President Michel Sleiman.

He said that the March 14 alliance led by prime minister designate Saad Hariri and the rival bloc led by Shia militant group Hezbollah had agreed on the sharing of portfolios.

But he added that the two sides were continuing to discuss which ministries each would get.

An official close to the Hezbollah alliance said it would get 10 ministries against 15 for Hariri s camp. The president would appoint another five ministers.

Since the June election, Hariri s camp has been engaged in tough negotiations with Hezbollah and its allies over their demands to retain the veto powers they enjoyed in the outgoing unity government formed last year.

The Western-backed alliance is strongly opposed to those powers. – AFP