BEIRUT - Lebanon’s government yesterday cancelled measures that angered the Hezbollah movement and triggered the worst internal conflict since the country’s 1975-90 civil war.

The US-backed government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said in a statement after a meeting that it was taking the step in line with a request by the Lebanese army to preserve civil peace and promote an Arab League mediation effort to end Lebanon’s 18-month-old political crisis.

“The cabinet decided to agree on the suggestion of the army commander ... which includes the cancellation of the two decisions,” the statement, read by Information Minister Ghazi al-Aridi, said.

A senior opposition source welcomed the move. “We welcome the government’s step and we see that it forms the prelude to end our disobedience campaign,” he said

Siniora earlier met a high-level Arab League mission which is trying to mediate a solution to Lebanon’s standoff.

The delegation, which includes eight Arab foreign ministers, was led by Qatari Prime Minister HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani and Arab League chief Amr Moussa.

Syria, which backs the Hezbollah-led opposition, threw its weight behind the mediation effort. A foreign ministry statement in Damascus urged all Lebanese parties to co-operate constructively with its proposals.

If it succeeds in easing tension, the delegation is expected to invite the rival leaders to Qatar for talks aimed at resolving their protracted political conflict.

The broader political dispute revolves around how to share power in cabinet and a new parliamentary election law.

The opposition is expected to end tits disobedience campaign once the ruling coalition agrees to talks. Sources said such an announcement was expected today.

Shortly after Aridi read the statement, Hezbollah supporters fired into the air in Beirut to celebrate what the group sees as a major blow to the government and its allies.

Rescinding the ban on Hezbollah’s communications network and the sacking of Beirut airport’s security chief, who is close to the group, were two of Hezbollah’s demands to lift its campaign of civil disobedience, including barricades on the airport road.

It is also a first step towards easing the broader standoff between Siniora’s government and opposition forces that has left Lebanon without a president since November.

At least 81 people have been killed since violence broke out on May 7 following the cabinet decisions against Hezbollah, which routed its rivals in six days of fighting and briefly seized control of parts of Beirut.

US President George W Bush, in Jerusalem to celebrate the anniversary of Israel’s founding in 1948, accused Iran yesterday of using Hezbollah to destabilise Lebanon. He said: “This is an Iranian effort to destabilise their young democracy.”

He said the US stood by Lebanon, a parliamentary democracy since independence from France in 1943.

The US State Department said yesterday Washington plans to speed up assistance to the Lebanese army and reported consultations were ongoing with UN Security Council members over how to tackle the crisis.

Iran has rejected accusations from Washington that it is meddling in Lebanon and has blamed the violence on the US and Israel. “Iran is the only country not interfering in Lebanon,” President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday. -Reuters