Lebanon president asks Siniora to form new cabinet

By Tom Perry

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's president appointed Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on Wednesday to head a national unity government agreed under a deal ending 18 months of political conflict.

President Michel Suleiman asked Siniora, who has enjoyed strong U.S. backing, to form the cabinet that is set to govern until a parliamentary election in 2009.

The Hezbollah-led opposition is guaranteed effective veto power in the new government under the Qatari-mediated deal that ended a crisis which pushed Lebanon to the brink of civil war.

"I call on everyone to take part in treating the wounds and moving beyond the divisions ... and violence we have known," Siniora said after meeting Suleiman.

The constitution requires the president, who was elected by parliament on Sunday, to appoint the candidate backed by the largest number of lawmakers. MPs informed Suleiman of their preferences earlier on Wednesday.

The U.S.-backed parliamentary majority bloc had already declared its support for Siniora, determining the outcome in advance. The post must be filled by a Sunni according to Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system.

Siniora, who won the backing of 68 of parliament's 127 members, had led the government through the political conflict that culminated in fighting that killed 81 people.

Prime minister since July 2005, Siniora, 65, was frequently the target of opposition enmity. A former finance minister, he was depicted as a U.S. puppet by his opponents.