Mr Mikati, who was appointed Prime Minister last week, said that he would act swiftly to remove the pro-Syrian heads of Lebanon’s security agencies, fulfilling a main opposition demand.

Lebanon has been without a government since Omar Karami resigned as prime minister amid anti-Syrian demonstrations in Beirut after Rafik Hariri, a former prime minister, was murdered in February.

Mr Karami was reinstated but was unable to assemble a new government. The Opposition, which expects to form the majority in the next parliament, accused the pro-Syrian authorities of stalling the process so that the elections would be postponed. Elections must be held by May 31, when the mandate of the present parliament expires.

International pressure for timely elections has increased in recent weeks. The United States and France have warned Syria that it would be held accountable for any delay.

Mr Mikati, a telecommunications tycoon with ties to President Assad of Syria, said that the new 14-member Government “will spare no effort to conduct the elections on deadline”.

The breakthrough came as the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon nears completion, with an estimated 1,500 soldiers remaining of some 14,000 stationed there before Mr Hariri’s murder.

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