A meeting was held between Free Patriotic Movement MP Ibrahim Kanaan and Lebanese Forces official Melhem Riachi to discuss the “final touches” on the “declaration of intent” paper between the two parties, al-Mustaqbal newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The two officials added an 18th article to the document of principles during the meeting, which was held on Tuesday night.

March 14 alliance lawmakers boycotted a meeting for the joint parliamentary committees on Tuesday to protest a decision for Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan to chair the session.

There was no lack of quorum despite the boycott.

Speaker Nabih Berri has expressed satisfaction with the government's performance and vowed to call for several parliamentary sessions to approve draft-laws, among them the controversial wage scale for the public sector.

Local dailies on Friday quoted Berri as saying that the cabinet's appointment of the members of the Banking Control Commission of Lebanon (BCCL) encourages the government to be more productive.

Speaker Nabih Berri tasked on Thursday head of the Finance and Budget Committee MP Ibrahim Kanaan with chairing next week's joint parliamentary committees meeting, reported the National News Agency.

The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, will tackle the new wage scale draft-law.

Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan said on Tuesday that the Free Patriotic Movement is awaiting for the Lebanese Forces to put its comments on the understanding that was reached between the representatives of the two parties in order for the agreements to take effect.

“It is normal for the process to take its time, in particular when highlighting the common characteristics in delicate and important matters,” Kanaan told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

The Free Patriotic Movement has announced that a much-anticipated meeting between FPM chief MP Michel Aoun and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea will be held when the two parties decide to start discussing the presidential crisis in their ongoing dialogue.

“Dialogue with the LF has reached a political agreement through the document of principles and any coming session between the two parties will be limited to the issue of presidency,” MP Alain Aoun of the FPM announced in an interview with al-Liwaa newspaper to be published Monday.

Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan described his meeting with Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea as “friendly and frank” in dealing with issues of contention between the two rival sides, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Saturday.

He told the daily: “Contacts are ongoing and constant between the two sides and this is a critical phase in the talks.”

Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan met on Friday with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea at his Maarab residence as part of preparations for the document of principles between the two sides, as sources close to the conferees denied reports of a possible “bargain” between Geagea and Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun.

OTV revealed that Kanaan and Geagea held talks for two hours aimed at “reducing obstacles” hindering the document.

The Change and Reform bloc demanded on Tuesday that the dispute over the presidential elections be resolved through Lebanese channels.

MP Ibrahim Kanaan said after the bloc's weekly meeting: “We should adhere to the Lebanese will and constitutional means to solve this issue.”

The Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement stressed on Sunday that the away from media spotlight negotiations are serious in an attempt to reach a break through between the two Christian rivals.

Change and Reform bloc lawmaker Ibrahim Kanaan, who is loyal to FPM chief MP Michel Aoun, pointed out in comments published in the Kuwaiti Annahar newspaper that the two parties are “keen to preserve pluralism among Christians, however, we are trying to end a long page of disputes and start a new one based on mutual respect.”