Although eight Muslim and Christian militias were disbanded and disarmed two years ago under a national reconciliation pact, the Party of God has continued to retain arms and men.

The United States and other Western powers have backed a 19-month-old Lebanese national reconciliation pact intended to stop the factional violence.

He said he did not expect serious problems in disbanding the militias because all Lebanese parties have endorsed the reconciliation pact.

He was referring to Lamberto Dini, Italy's foreign minister, who recently brokered reconciliation pacts with two other rogue nations, Iran and Libya.

Among them are seven men who headed Muslim and Christian militias during the civil war, which ended nearly two years ago with a reconciliation pact.

The withdrawal of all militias is required under a national reconciliation pact reached by various Lebanese factions a year ago.

The constitutional reforms are based on a national reconciliation pact approved by Muslim and Christian members of Parliament last October in the Saudi resort of Taif.

General Aoun had blocked a national reconciliation pact signed by the country's Christian and Muslim legislators under Arab League mediation a year ago.

The Muslim power has been reflected in a new national reconciliation pact brokered by the 21-nation Arab League 18 months ago.

All other Muslim and Christian factions were disarmed and dissolved in March 1991 after a new national reconciliation pact was signed.