Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Friday questioned the need for what he described as an ineffective government but stopped short of announcing the resignation of the ministers representing him in the cabinet.

“The government existed because of compromises made by us. So what is the need for its existence if it failed to appoint security officials and failed to resolve the Syrian crisis?” Aoun asked at a press conference he held in Rabieh.

Speaker Nabih Berri has described the current situation as “disgraceful” as a result of the rivalry between the country's different factions.

“The current situation at the level of the parliament's paralysis and the work of the government is despicable,” Berri told his visitors on Thursday.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam has reportedly stressed that he would reject possible resignations by cabinet ministers over the dispute on the mandates of senior security officers.

Al-Liwaa daily on Friday quoted a ministerial source as saying that Salam has been clear on rejecting the resignations if the ministers loyal to Hizbullah and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun took such a move.

Speaker Nabih Berri strongly criticized the Free Patriotic Movement for boycotting parliamentary sessions aimed at electing a new head of state and slammed Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil over his “dangerous” remarks.

“The key to all crises lies in speeding up the election of a president instead of attacking constitutional institutions and their leaders, and not attending attending parliamentary sessions,” Berri told his visitors on Tuesday.

Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji reportedly refuses to tackle the presidential deadlock and the extension of high-ranking security officials with any side, stressing that he will carry out his duties and protect the country despite the political rift in the country.

“We should neglect the factional interests and prioritize the national interests,” Qahwaji's visitors quoted him as saying in comments published in As Safir newspaper on Tuesday.

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed that no side could prevent the parliament from legislating, warning that he could call for a session within 24 hours, which would enjoy the necessary quorum.

“I can call for a parliamentary session within 24 hours and more than 70 lawmakers, from all the Lebanese spectrum, including those who are threatening to boycott, would attend,” Berri's visitors quoted him as saying in comments published in al-Joumhouria newspaper on Monday.

MP Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement ministers have reportedly decided to suspend their participation over the dispute over security appointments, reported the Kuwaiti al-Anba daily on Sunday.

Sources told the daily that the FPM took this decision after reaching a dead end with the Mustaqbal bloc over security and military appointments.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi wrapped up the first round of talks with Christian leaders to press them to ease tension and elect a new head of state.

According to An Nahar newspaper published on Saturday, al-Rahi dispatched former Minister Roger Deeb to visit the four Maronite leaders separately.

Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan revealed on Friday that the “declaration of intentions” between the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces has been completed.

“The implementation of the declaration began,” Kanaan said in comments to Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).

The Lebanese Forces reiterated on Thursday that the LF parliamentary bloc and the Change and Reform bloc would not attend a legislative session if their demands are not met.

LF MP George Adwan told An Nahar newspaper that his bloc insists on putting the draft-law on giving Lebanese expats the nationality and the electoral draft-law on the agenda of the session that Speaker Nabih Berri is planning to call for.