Jerusalem, 18 Oct. (AKI) - The Lebanese government and the radical group Hezbollah have started unofficial talks exploring the group's possible disarmament, Lebanon's prime minister, Fuad Siniora, revealed on Tuesday. According to Israel Radio, Siniora made the announcement in Paris where he and Palestinian Authority (PA) president Mahmoud Abbas agreed at a UN-sponsored meeting that unrestricted movements of weapons and gunmen in Palestinian refugee camps were harmful to Lebanon.

In a joint statement issued after the 45-minute long talks, the two leaders expressed "great concern" about the flow of weapons and militant groups in refugee camps, which "negatively influence the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon."

Abbas told reporters that Palestinians should remember that they are guests in Lebanon and are not above the law.

Siniora said the presence of armed Palestinian factions outside Lebanon's refugee camps is "not helpful," and that officials need more talks on how to contain weapons within the camps.

"We expressed our views that the presence of armed personnel and armaments outside the camps is not necessary and not helpful," Siniora said. "As for the presence of armed personnel within the camps, this is going to be looked at in order to organise it."

Last year, a UN resolution called for disarming all militants in Lebanon, including Palestinian groups and Hezbollah. Some Palestinians, however, have strong feelings against surrendering any arms in Lebanon's changing political climate.

The radical Shiite Hezbollah is represented in Parliament as a political party, but many parts of the country, especially in the Bekaa Valley, are controlled by the group's armed militiamen who have also been involved in cross-border attacks against Israeli targets.