Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces General Jean Qahwaji met with British Ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter and United States Chargé d’Affaires Danny Hall and talks focused on the Land Border Security Project, a news release said Monday.

The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the on-going UK and U.S. support for the Lebanese army and the border project, including the construction, training, and equipment being provided in order to reach the goal of securing the entirety of the Lebanon-Syria border.

Arab and foreign ambassadors started presenting copies of their credentials to President Michel Aoun, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

Saudi State Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan denied reports claiming that President Michel Aoun is leading negotiations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the pan-Arab al-Hayat daily reported.

“I do not think there is a mediation carried out by the Lebanese President Michel Aoun,” al-Sabhan told the daily.

After reports that the cabinet could be formed of 30 ministers instead of the original 24, reports said Monday that the 24-minister cabinet has surfaced again and that President Michel Aoun is “enthusiastic” about the latter for what he sees as better “productivity.”

Parties closely related to the process of lining-up the cabinet are mulling the inclusion of 24 ministers in the government to “escape the torrent of heavy demands for sovereign and service-related portfolios so that everyone is forced to control their demands and adapt to the new measure,” As Safir daily said.

Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan warned that the party prefers not to be part of the new cabinet if it was not given a sovereign ministerial portfolio as part of it share, media reports said on Monday.

“The Lebanese Forces adheres to having a sovereign portfolio, otherwise we prefer not to participate,” An Nahar daily said.

A Syrian man was arrested Sunday in south Lebanon on suspicion of belonging to the extremist Islamic State group, state-run National News Agency reported.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced Sunday that some parties are trying to “isolate” the LF by putting “vetoes” on its participation in the new Cabinet.

Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel stressed Sunday that his party has no “hostile” stances towards anyone in Lebanon, while noting that President Michel Aoun “is known to be a man of surprises.”

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday called for the formation of an “inclusive government” before Independence Day, which will be marked on November 22.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri on Sunday took part in the “BLOM bank Beirut Marathon” during which he noted that “there is also a marathon in forming the government.”