MP Saad Hariri on Friday withdrew a veto on the participation in the cabinet by Ali Qanso, former chief of the Syrian Social National Party, paving the road to declaring a cabinet of national unity.

Hariri made the announcement after talks with Premier-designate Fouad Saniora at the latter's office.

The Mustaqbal Movement has made "lots of sacrifices" to safeguard Lebanon, Hariri told reporters.

The biggest sacrifice, he said, was "the blood of martyr ex-Premier Rafik Hariri" killed in a powerful explosion in 2005.

The move, which Hariri said he would personally be responsible for, should eliminate obstacles facing efforts to form the cabinet.