The United States, France and the United Nations are leading international calls for the elections to be held next month as Lebanon's best way out of its worst political crisis since its 1975-1990 civil war.

The anti-Syrian opposition surprisingly backed Mikati's nomination last week as a compromise in a bid to speed up the election process. The disparate coalition was holding a series of meetings Monday to decide a joint position on the cabinet.

Mikati was quoted by local media as saying that he would seek a small cabinet of ministers who are not members of political parties and preferably not running in the election.

He told As-Safir newspaper that his top priority "is to hold the parliamentary elections as soon as possible."

But it was yet to be seen if he could get his wish of a small, independent cabinet. The 128-member assembly is made up of mainly pro-Syrian loyalists who would like elections to be delayed and who could insist on being represented in government.

Sympathy Wave

The opposition is eager for swift elections to capitalize on a wave of public sympathy after the February killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. Loyalists believe delaying the elections would lead to cracks in the opposition that would improve the chances of pro-Syrians to retain power.

Elections should be called at least one month before they are due to start. Lebanon usually holds the poll over several days in different parts of the country.

With parliament's four-year term expiring on May 31, any new government should hold at least the first round before that day.

Lebanon has been without a government since Feb. 28, when Prime Minister Omar Karami quit in the face of large street protests against his government and its Syrian backers after Hariri's killing, which many Lebanese blamed on Syria. Karami was later re-appointed but failed to form a cabinet.

Syria, whose forces entered Lebanon in 1976, has dominated its smaller neighbor since the end of the civil war.

Those forces are now leaving Lebanon in line with a vow to end the 29-year-old Syrian military and intelligence presence by April 30, after international pressure and Lebanese protests.

Lebanon's myriad religious communities, both opposition and loyalist, disagree over whether Lebanon should be divided into smaller or larger constituencies for the poll.

An electoral law deciding one way or the other must be passed for the poll to take place. Opposition figures have said they are willing to be flexible over the legislation if it means elections could go ahead as scheduled. (Reuters)