Speaker Nabih Berri has said that the different Lebanese factions reject sliding into a new civil war despite the fighting that has rattled the northern city of Tripoli in the past week.

In remarks to several local newspapers published on Monday, Berri said: “The different Lebanese (parties) have a conviction not to return to war and repeat the black and deadly experiences that all of them have witnessed despite some separate incidents.”

Head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc ex-Prime Minister Fouad Saniora accused Hizbullah and the March 8 alliance of obstructing the legislative work.

“We won't stop communicating” with the rival parties, Saniora said in comments published in local newspapers.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has criticized al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc, describing its leader MP Fouad Saniora's stance from a two-day parliamentary session on Wednesday as “not encouraging.”

In remarks to An Nahar newspaper, Jumblat said: “Saniora's stance from the session is negative and not encouraging.”

Discussions over a two-day parliamentary session reached a dead-end on Tuesday amid a sharp row over its constitutionality as al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc insisted on boycotting it if Speaker Nabih Berri failed to modify its agenda.

Head of al-Mustaqbal Parliamentary bloc Fouad Saniora told reporters after talks with Berri, on the sidelines of a session set to elect the parliament's bureau committee members and the parliamentary committees members, that Wednesday's session is “unconstitutional.”

The controversial parliamentary session set to convene on Tuesday will not face the fate of its predecessors after several parliamentary blocs and MPs are expected to attend it, local newspapers pointed out.

According to An Nahar newspaper published on Monday, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati, the staunch opponent to Speaker Nabih Berri's calls to hold a session, is expected to attend Tuesday's session to participate in electing the parliamentary committees.

Speaker Nabih Berri on Saturday held a two-hour meeting with head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc ex-PM Fouad Saniora in Ain al-Tineh.

“The meeting is a continuation of the talks we held more than two weeks ago. We discussed a large number of key issues that are of interest to the Lebanese and the dialogue was positive, beneficial and constructive,” Saniora said after the meeting.

A meeting held between President Michel Suleiman and al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora didn't reach any breakthrough over the ongoing political crisis in the country.

According to local newspapers published on Friday, the meeting that lasted an hour discussed the cabinet formation process and the possibility of reviving the national dialogue among the foes.

Mustaqbal bloc MP Hadi Hbeish hosted on Friday a dinner banquet that brought together a number of key figures in Lebanon, including President Michel Suleiman and Premier-designate Tammam Salam, reported the daily An Nahar on Monday.

It said that the formation of a new government was at the heart of discussions.

Head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc Fouad Saniora on Thursday said he agreed with Speaker Nabih Berri to continue their talks on the thorny domestic issues, following a meeting that lasted more than two hours in Ain al-Tineh.

“The discussions tackled all the topics that are of interest for the Lebanese and the dialogue was serious,” Saniora told reporters.

Speaker Nabih Berri said Friday he will start making contacts to assess the results of the meetings that the members of his parliamentary bloc held with top officials to explain to them his initiative aimed at ending the country's political crisis.

In remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper published Friday, Berri expressed relief that the “absolute majority of the political forces that the committee has met with has backed the initiative and the return to the (national) dialogue table.”