A woman walks past a wall plastered with posters of General Michel Suleiman who is considered to be the consensus candidate for Lebanon's presidency. Photographer: Anwar Amro/AFP

Rival Lebanese factions today agreed to resolve an 18-month political crisis that pushed the country to the edge of another civil war.

Delegates from the US-backed government and Hizbullah-led opposition reached the breakthrough after five days of intensive talks in Doha, Qatar.

The talks followed Lebanon's worst internal fighting since the 1975-90 civil war, with clashes between pro-government groups and the opposition that killed at least 67 people.

The Lebanese telecommunications minister, Marwan Hamadeh, said a deal was reached at dawn and the factions would formally sign it within hours at a ceremony hosted by the Qatari emir.

Hamadeh provided few specific details but said it included giving the opposition powers of veto in a new national unity government.