Jumblatt also stressed the need for reconciliation among followers of rival leaders whose power struggle pushed the country to the brink of a new civil war in May. Steps taken to that end were "not enough", even if Lebanon was far more stable now than four months ago, Jumblatt told Reuters in an interview.

A protracted power struggle between Jumblatt's "March 14" alliance and a rival coalition led by the Syria- and Iran-backed Hezbollah was ended in May by a Qatari-mediated settlement.

The deal drew both camps into a unity government and led to the election of a new president. But leaders have yet to deal with sectarian tensions unleashed by a power struggle that led to armed conflict between Sunnis, Shi'ites and Druze.

Sectarian tension still hangs over the northern city of Tripoli, where more than 20 people have been killed since June in clashes between gunmen from the city's majority Sunni community and Alawites who have close ties to Syria.

Syria, which is governed by the Alawite Assad family, dominated Lebanon until 2005. The assassination of statesman Rafik al-Hariri that year triggered pressure on Damascus to withdraw troops that had first entered the country in 1976.

"Why should we give the Syrians a pretext to intervene like in '76 when some Christian villages were surrounded ... and the Christians went to Damascus and asked for Syrian protection? It could happen again now with the Alawites," Jumblatt said.

"They feel like a minority and they know they could be protected," he said, speaking of "confessional cleansing" in Tripoli, where Sunni politician Saad al-Hariri, a Jumblatt ally, yields wide influence.

Syria has said it has no intention of being drawn into the north Lebanon conflict.

"We've Got to Live Together"

Jumblatt said Lebanese leaders must work towards easing sectarian tensions in the north and elsewhere. "It has to be worked out step by step -- in every area, in every quarter of Beirut, in every village, in the media," he said.

"You have to take into account the popular feelings," he said, decrying what he described as the "cancer of confessionalism" in Lebanon, where sectarian rivalries have triggered numerous civil conflicts.

Jumblatt has called on Hariri, who enjoys Saudi support, and pro-Damascus Shi'ite leader Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, to calm lingering tensions between their communities.

Hariri and Hezbollah supporters clashed frequently during the 18-month crisis. Tensions were exacerbated greatly in May by the Shi'ite group's brief military takeover of the Muslim half of Beirut. Jumblatt's own followers also fought fierce battles with Hezbollah gunmen in mountains east of the capital.

"We've got to live together. We fixed up a joint security committee that is working on the ground," Jumblatt said.

"The further steps to ameliorate the situation are linked to the dialogue. There's no way other than to fix up the dialogue," said Jumblatt, referring to talks agreed under the Doha accord and which President Michel Suleiman is due to chair.

A date for the start of the talks has yet to be set.

Syria and Lebanon have agreed to exchange ambassadors since Suleiman's election, meeting a main demand of Jumblatt and his allies for Damascus to open a Beirut embassy.

"Finally we might have it by the end of the year," said Jumblatt. "It's destiny for Lebanon to normalize relations with Syria," he said. "You have the sea, you have Israel, you have Syria. You can't select that."

The Druze leader also said he saw no obstacles in the path of a new law for holding parliamentary elections next year.

Tags: Christians, Hezbollah, March 14 Alliance, Opposition, Rafik Hariri, Sectarian Divide, Shiites, source: Reuters, Syria, Walid Jumblatt