Suleiman Meets Miqati, Urges Everyone to Rise Above 'Selfishness, Individual Interests'

President Michel Suleiman on Tuesday noted that broadening the circle of contacts and meetings among the political parties was "an attempt to make a breakthrough in the ongoing consultations to form the new government."

"The current period requires everyone, without exception, to rise above disputes, selfishness and individual shares and interests for the sake of the rise of a government that garners confidence and works on boosting the productivity of ministries, administrations and institutions," the president added.

He stressed that "the Lebanese need and deserve a government that works on fulfilling their needs, running the State's affairs and confronting the challenges in the region which is boiling over with turmoil and unrest."

Suleiman noted that the unity of the Lebanese was the key to sparing their country the regional turbulence.

Also Tuesday, the president held talks at the Baabda Palace with Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati on the efforts exerted to form the new cabinet.

Suleiman has reportedly ruled out the formation of the cabinet anytime soon, saying that Lebanon has missed investment opportunities over the deadlock.

"Lebanon is missing big economic and investment opportunities over the continued impasse in the formation of the government, particularly at a time of security shakeups in Arab countries," Suleiman's visitors quoted him as saying.

They told al-Mustaqbal newspaper in remarks published Tuesday that the president has stressed the cabinet will not be formed soon "over local and regional obstacles."

Suleiman "is hoping for the inclusion of all parties in the government but believes in (the need to) procrastinate in order to study the regional situation and its repercussions," the visitors said.

However, As Safir daily quoted Suleiman's visitors as saying that the cabinet should be formed immediately to "consolidate the country" at a time of turmoil in the region.

They said the president has reiterated that he would not sign a cabinet decree that would create precedence.