AOL

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani announced deal between Lebanese factions

Arab mediators have announced a breakthrough deal between feuding Lebanese factions that was struck after five days of talks in Qatar to end Lebanon's 18-month political crisis.

Announcing the agreement, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani said at a ceremony in Doha that the agreement will be "carried out immediately" and that the election of a new president of Lebanon will follow within 24 hours.

The agreement was a major triumph for Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition, as it met the side's two key demands - veto power in a new national unity government, and an electoral law that divides up Lebanon into smaller-sized districts, for better representation of the various sects.

A few bursts of celebratory gunfire broke out in Beirut after the announcement. Lebanese television stations, which broadcast the Qatar ceremony live, showed Lebanese politicians and their Arab hosts congratulating and hugging one another.

The Qatar-hosted talks came on the heels of Lebanon's worst internal fighting since the 1975-90 civil war, with clashes raging earlier this month between pro-government groups and the opposition in the streets of Muslim west Beirut, the central mountains and the north. At least 67 people died.

As Lebanon came close to an all-out war, Arab League mediators intervened and got the sides to agree to hold negotiations in Qatar on resolving the crisis that has paralysed the country.

Opposition-allied Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri also spoke at the Doha ceremony, saying that an opposition tent encampment, which has been going on for over a year in downtown Beirut across from the government building, will be dismantled Wednesday.

Berri said this would be a "gift" from the opposition, hailing the Doha agreement.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, also addressing the ceremony, said the Lebanese should draw lessons from what had happened and called on them to reject violence. He also called on Arab states to help support Lebanese forces, which kept a neutral role during the latest clashes.

"We must ... pledge never to resort to arms to resolve our political differences," Saniora said. "We should accept each other and hold dialogue to solve the problems. We want to live together and we will continue that. We have no other choice."