DOHA (AFP) - Rival Lebanese leaders pressed on with talks on Sunday to try to end a feud that pushed the nation towards all-out sectarian war, with the focus on a disputed electoral law and the divisive issue of Hezbollah weapons.

The Qatari hosts of the Arab-brokered talks succeeded on Saturday in defusing a clash over the weaponry of the powerful Syria- and Iran-backed Shiite militia by offering to come up with a proposal on the thorny issue while Lebanese negotiators focused on other matters.

Although no timeframe for the talks has been announced, Arab League secretary general Amr Mussa said he expected Sunday to be a "decisive" day.

Lebanon's rival factions agreed last Thursday to renew a dialogue to try to resolve a protracted political impasse which erupted into days of deadly sectarian fighting and saw Hezbollah and its allies temporarily seize swathes of west Beirut.

The US-backed ruling coalition and the Hezbollah-led opposition have been locked in a political dispute for 18 months that has prevented the election of a president.

The 14 political leaders in Qatar did not meet again after a first session on Saturday. Instead, a joint committee tasked with addressing an electoral law for a parliamentary poll due next year began work.

"We are trying to resolve differences," opposition MP and committee member Ali Hasan Khalil told reporters.

The factions differ on the delineation of constituencies, fearing they would lose parliamentary seats due to demographic changes which would follow any alteration of boundaries.

In addition to the electoral law, another committee was formed to discuss a proposed unity government, Lebanese pro-government newspaper An-Nahar reported.

Both sides have already agreed on army chief Michel Sleiman to succeed Damascus protege Emile Lahoud, who stepped down as president in November at the end of his term, but they disagree on power-sharing in a unity government.

Parliament has failed to convene to elect a new president, exacerbating a crisis that began in November 2006 when six pro-Syrian ministers quit the cabinet of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.

It is due to meet for the 20th time on June 10 to elect a president.

After a ceremonial opening of the Doha talks on Friday, negotiations started on Saturday with the pro-government bloc insisting that the issue of Hezbollah's arms be listed on the agenda, a demand rejected by the opposition.

"If the arms issue is not specifically addressed during the Doha talks, then there will be nothing (achieved)," said Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Fatfat.

"The issue of weapons is crucial. The Lebanese people will not accept anything less than the announcement of a clear framework to (address) this matter, so that the debate could continue in Beirut," he told reporters.

Druze MP Akram Shehaieb said the pro-government bloc meant arms used "against the Lebanese people in Beirut and the mountains," referring to the sectarian clashes that left 65 people dead.

"The arms of the resistance is a Lebanese issue which would be debated in a dialogue led by the president in Lebanon," he said, using a term that usually refers to Hezbollah's fight against Israel.

A pro-government delegate told AFP Saturday that the ruling majority insisted on "guarantees not to use arms (against other Lebanese parties) for whatever reason."

But Hezbollah MP Hussein Haj Hasan said the demand to debate the issue of Hezbollah arms had been rejected.

Hezbollah was the only group that did not have to surrender its guns following the 1989 Saudi-brokered Taef agreement to end the 1975-1990 civil war, because it was fighting the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon.

However, Israel pulled its troops out of Lebanon in 2000.

Among those attending the talks are Siniora, parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri and a key government ally, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is not attending, reportedly due to security concerns but other opposition leaders include parliament speaker Nabih Berri and Christian leader Michel Aoun.

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