BEIRUT, March 2 (AFP) - Lebanon's opposition asked Wednesday the head of the Syrian-backed Shiite militia Hezbollah, which leads an anti-Israeli guerrilla struggle, to secure direct dialogue with Damascus to win a Syrian troop pullout.

"We have already said that we wanted direct dialogue with Syria and I think that (Hezbollah chief) Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is well placed to play that role," opposition MP Ghazi Aridi told reporters after meeting with the head of the group.

"We have full confidence in Sayyed Nasrallah, and through him, we address Syrian officials in order to put an end to all that is happening ... because Syria is responsible, concerned and affected by what is happening in Lebanon," he said.

Aridi, close aide to prominent opposition leader Druze MP Walid Jumblatt, said talks with Nasrallah and rival Shiite leader, parliament speaker Nabih Berri, were part of opposition efforts to "engage in dialogue ...with people who can play a role in helping to save Lebanon."

With the country in crisis sparked by the February 14 assassination of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri, Nasrallah has also met with Christian opposition leaders. Hezbollah, which enjoys wide support from the regime, Syria and Iran, was instrumental in leading to the May 2000 Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon after 22 years of occupation.

The group, along with other Shiite movements, has remained under the wing of the pro-Syrian regime facing a growing opposition which succeeded in forcing the resignation of prime minister Omar Karameh on Monday.

In an efforts appreciated by all sides, Nasrallah has repeatedly called for calm and national accord.

"Our only choice is dialogue if we care for Lebanon ... as the internationalisation (of the issue) only complicates things," he recently said.

Walid Sharara, a specialist in Shiite affaires, said Hezbollah was seeking to "play the role of a mediator" between the parties in the dispute.

"This crisis is embarrassing Hezbollah which feels that a polarisation of political life in Lebanon carries dangers and risks to limit its role as a dissuading force against Israel," he said.

"A few months ago, Hezbollah had a free hand in defending southern Lebanon by benefiting from the backing of the state and the Lebanese society," he said.

Hariri's assassination has dealt a severe blow to Hezbollah which lost a strong ally in the slain billionaire tycoon.

"Hariri was engaged in contacts with his European friends to prevent them from putting Hezbollah on the list of terrorist organisations," as requested by Israel, said Nasrallah.

A week before Hariri was assassinated, he had met twice with Nasrallah and declared that he was "very optimistic about the results" of his mediation with European countries.

Jumblatt said Tuesday that "Hezbollah is a main partner in any future (political) coalition and an essential component which enjoys authority and credibility."

Jumblatt has repeatedly called on Hezbollah to join opposition ranks. Hezbollah has denounced the US-French sponsored UN Security Council Resolution 1559, which called for the end of foreign military presence and the disarming of militias in Lebanon, as a campaign against the radical group.

The group is hoping that any future political programme for Lebanon be without US interference and influence in the country's internal affairs. And Jumblatt promptly accepted such a demand and criticised Resolution 1559.

Opposition figure Samir Frangieh said "the Shiites, without knowing it, are part of our opposition ...we are saying that Lebanon cannot be ruled by Syria...and we are inviting Hezbollah to cooperate with us to define the bases on which this country should be rebuilt."

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