Hezbollah: 'True partnership' in Beirut

BEIRUT, Lebanon, July 31 (UPI) -- The new government of Lebanon will be a true partnership between opposition and ruling coalition leaders, the Hezbollah secretary-general said.

The Western-backed March 14 slate of Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri won a modest victory over the opposition March 8 coalition in the June 7 election.

Hariri, tasked with forming a new government, has said unity would prevail as lawmakers discuss the makeup of the next Cabinet.

Hariri has said he was working to form a coalition Cabinet that includes members of his March 14 alliance as well as lawmakers with Hezbollah and its opposition March 8 slate.

Lebanese Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri expressed optimism that a new government was forthcoming, saying only minor issues remained.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah told supporters that he felt confident about the development of a new unity government that included opposition leaders, Hezbollah's al-Manar news network reports.

"We completed a very important step," he said. "Therefore, I assure all opposition forces and popular bases that the Cabinet that will be formed is actually a true partnership government."

He went on to call for patience as lawmakers set about discussing the names and distribution of various ministerial portfolios.

"This process might also take some time but the most important thing is that the general process is a positive one, signaling that we might reach very soon the happy ending," he declared.