General Emile Lahoud, who was elected as the new president of Lebanon last month, has been sworn in to office.

Mr Lahoud, who is expected to resign his post as the commander of the Lebanese army, has a reputation for fighting against sectarian divisions.

As has been customary since Lebanese independence, the new president is a Maronite Christian: the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim and the parliamentary speaker a Shiite.

The BBC foreign affairs correspondent says that President Lahoud is seen as a dynamic and visionary figure, but his scope for manoeuvre will be restricted by Syria's strong influence on Lebanese affairs.

Our correspondent says his first job will be the question of whether to award citizenship to hundreds of thousands of foreigners who have lived in Lebanon for decades.