Canada welcomed Lebanon's new national unity government, hoping it would spell an end to the country's long political crisis, emphasizing it would have "no contact" with the Hizbullah-led opposition.

"Canada congratulates Prime Minister Fouad Saniora on forming a new Lebanese cabinet, and offers our full support to him and his government," Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson said in a statement.

He called the new administration "another important step ... toward ending the political crisis" in Lebanon.

However, Emerson said Canada would abstain from any contact with the Hizbullah "an organization listed as a terrorist entity under our Anti-Terrorism Act."

"While Canada will have full contact with Prime Minister Saniora and non-Hizbullah ministers, we will maintain our principled policy of having no contact with Hizbullah officials," he added.

Lebanon announced a 30-member national unity government on Friday after weeks of negotiations between the country's political rivals, and more than a year-and-a-half into Lebanon's political crisis.

A May 21 accord allocates 16 cabinet seats to the Western-backed parliamentary majority and 11 to the opposition led by Hizbullah, giving it veto powers.(AFP)