CAIRO, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Arab League (AL) Secretary General Amr Moussa on Saturday called on Arab countries to work to help settle the Lebanese crisis, the Egyptian MENA news agency reported.

    The AL chief underscored the importance of a proposed Arab foreign ministers meeting to discuss the situation in Lebanon, where fierce clashes between the opposition and ruling coalition left at least 18 people dead and 40 others injured.

    Moussa also said contacts are underway on means of handling the critical situation in Lebanon in a bid to contain mounting tension between feuding Lebanese fractions.

    Regarding statements by some Arab countries that the Lebanese crisis is an internal affair, Moussa said it was true an internal affair, but noted that the Arabs should work to rescue Lebanon when the situation is associated with regional dangers.

    On Tuesday, the Lebanese government declared Hezbollah's telecommunications network illegal and a threat to state security. It also decided to dismantle security chief of the country's only international airport Wafik Shqaier over his alleged links to Hezbollah.

    Those cabinet decisions sparked clashes between the government supporters and opposition Hezbollah during the past three days with gunfights erupting in several parts of the country.

    Egypt and Saudi Arabia on Friday called on the Cairo-based AL to hold an emergency foreign ministers' meeting on Lebanon.