Lebanon government ready to quit

Karameh became PM when Hariri quit over Syria's role

Lebanese Prime Minister Omar Karameh has said he is prepared to resign once a new cabinet is agreed.

Mr Karameh said he would be happy to step down provided steps were taken to avoid a "constitutional vacuum".

The comments follow protests in Beirut calling for the resignation of the Syrian-backed government over the death of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Mr Karameh took over when Hariri quit last October in protest at Syria's interference in Lebanese politics.

I am ready to resign on condition that we agree on a new government in order to avoid falling into a constitutional vacuum Omar Karameh

Lebanese opposition members have blamed the government in Beirut and its Syrian backers for Mr Hariri's death in a car bomb on 14 February - a charge denied by Damascus.

Mr Karameh added that he would be asking parliament for a vote of confidence in his government, which would fall without the support of a majority.

Correspondents say parliament is largely supportive of the prime minister, but the mood could change amid rising international and domestic concern about Syria's military presence in Lebanon.

Troubleshooter

In a separate development, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is sending his most trusted troubleshooter to Syria to try to ease tensions.

"The state of tension on the Lebanese scene and the escalation of pressures on Syria... require effective and rapid action," presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad told reporters.

Opposition groups accuse Syria of Hariri's killing

In a rare challenge to the authoritarian government in Damascus, a group of Syrian writers, artists and activists issued an open letter on Wednesday calling for the withdrawal of some 15,000 troops Syria keeps in Lebanon.

"Outside pressures are building in all sorts of ways. The Syrian people don't know what is awaiting them as the old political methods are no longer able to resolve crises," the letter addressed to President Bashar al-Assad said, as quoted by AFP news agency.

Monday saw an unprecedentedly large anti-Syrian rally in the Lebanese capital, in which then of thousands demanded an end to Syria's political dominance in Lebanon.

US President George W Bush has renewed his call for Syrian withdrawal during the latest stage of his European tour in Germany.