Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea noted that the current process of forming a new government is a “major embarrassment”.

He told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Saturday that the current chaos over the cabinet formation will not threaten Lebanon even if it does take a long time to set up a government, explaining that the army, security forces, and justice system will prevent any instability.

Speaker Nabih Berri has brushed off criticism of the transfer of the parliamentary majority from the March 14 to the March 8 forces, saying there is no need for a tumult over the issue.

Berri’s visitors told An Nahar and As Safir dailies in remarks published Friday that it was not the first time power was transferred from one alliance to the other. It happened when Salim Hoss became premier instead of Rafik Hariri during ex-President Emile Lahoud’s term in office.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said that the March 14 coalition has already made up its decision not to participate in Premier-designate Najib Miqati’s cabinet.

“March 14 has made up its mind and we have done so as well,” Jumblat told As Safir daily in remarks published Friday.

Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati is reportedly preparing two draft cabinet line-ups – one includes March 14 ministers along with the Hizbullah-led alliance and the other is only made up of March 8 figures.

Miqati visited President Michel Suleiman on Tuesday night and informed him about his consultations with the different parties on the formation of the cabinet.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat is expected to issue a “clear, sarcastic, and decisive” statement in response to everything that was said about him since the start of the parliamentary consultations and to the speeches that were delivered during Monday’s ceremony commemorating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, reported Al-Akhbar on Tuesday.

He also addressed in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine the recent revolt in Egypt, saying: “The Egyptian people are heading towards freedom after long years of tyranny under the previous regime.”

The upcoming two days are expected to witness intense efforts to tackle the distribution of portfolios and the appointment of new ministers, even though Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati still faces obstacles through “vetoes” from the March 8 and 14 political camps, as well as impossible demands by the new majority, informed political sources told the daily An Nahar Monday.

No new development has taken place in the ongoing negotiations between Miqati and the Christians in the new majority and the March 14 camp.

The head of the Lebanese Democratic Party Talal Arslan criticized on Sunday the sectarian division of positions in the legislative authority saying it is “another blow against the concept of a state of law.”

He said during a press conference: “Lebanon has never witnessed in its history such sectarian division such as the one taking place today.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has hinted that he was frustrated from the latest meeting of Lebanon's highest Sunni Muslim authority.

Sunni council Dar al-Fatwa on Thursday warned the next cabinet against abandoning the international tribunal investigating the 2005 murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

A dispute between President Michel Suleiman and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun over the distribution of Cabinet posts may delay the formation of a new government.

Al-Akhbar newspaper, which is close to the Hizbullah-led March 8 camp, on Monday quoted well-informed sources as saying that government formation hit a snag after a "conflict" broke out between Suleiman and Aoun over the interior ministry portfolio.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Thursday held talks with Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati in Verdun, in the presence of acting public works and transport minister Ghazi Aridi.

Jumblat declined to make a statement after the meeting. However, MTV reported that talks between the two men did not tackle the distribution of portfolios in the new cabinet.