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.

Lebanon's rival factions agreed last Thursday 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 Shiite 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 over 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, the 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.

On June 10, it is due for the 20th time to meet 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.

The ruling majority "insists on debating the issue of arms in two stages," a delegate said on Saturday.

The first stage should include "guarantees not to use arms (against other Lebanese parties) for whatever reason," while the "future of Hezbollah arms will be dealt with in the second stage, after electing a president," he said.

But Hezbollah MP Hussein Haj Hasan told AFP that the demand "has been rejected," adding that "it will be discussed after electing a president."

Speaking in Egypt on Saturday, US President George W. Bush reiterated calls to disarm Hezbollah, which is regarded as a terrorist group in the West.

"It is clear that Hezbollah, which has been funded by Iran, can no longer justify its position as a defender against Israel when it turns on its own people," he said.

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.

A planned meeting in Egypt between Bush and Siniora on Sunday was cancelled following the start of the Doha talks.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is not attending, reportedly due to security concerns, and is represented by Hezbollah MP Mohammed Raad. Also attending on behalf of the opposition are parliament speaker Nabih Berri and Christian leader Michel Aoun.