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.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has dropped his support for a new cabinet in which each of the main political camps would get eight ministers, saying the 9-9-6 formula gives the formation of a government a better chance.

In an interview with As Safir newspaper published on Friday, Jumblat said giving the March 8 and 14 alliances nine ministers each and the centrists six ministers would be the best solution.

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Thursday that Lebanon merely demanded the international community to share the burden created by the exodus of Syrian refugees and facilitate their return to their country.

“We didn't go to New York to beg but to ask the international community to share the financial burdens,” Suleiman said in comments published in An Nahar newspaper.

President Michel Suleiman on Tuesday criticized Syria for a cross-border raid that he said targeted an ambulance in the Bekaa town of Arsal, causing no injuries.

Local officials said the attack was carried out on Monday night by Syrian war planes that fired at an area in the Arsal region, which has regularly been targeted by cross-border strikes.

In the framework of his regular meetings with different political factions, President Michel Suleiman met on Monday with Head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad with talks focusing on the ongoing efforts to form a government and the necessity to distance Lebanon from the Syrian crisis.

“Suleiman is keen to maintain contacts with all factions, pinning hopes that a solution could emerge anytime,” sources told al-Joumhouria daily Tuesday.

The nine Lebanese pilgrims that were being held in Syria's Aazaz region will likely be released within the upcoming hours, reported al-Akhbar newspaper on Tuesday.

It revealed that they were moved to safe location at the Syrian-Turkish border, which lies under Turkey's security, ahead of their imminent release.

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.

President Michel Suleiman's repeated denials that he is seeking the extension of his term does not mean that this possibility has been taken off the table, diplomatic sources told the Kuwaiti daily al-Anba on Sunday.

They said that his term, which ends in 2014, may indeed be extended until the Syrian crisis is resolved.

President Michel Suleiman expressed relief on Saturday over the expected return of the Lebanese who survived the Australia-bound boat tragedy.

He voiced hope that the Indonesian authorities would continue its measures to swiftly return the bodies of the victims to their relatives, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The March 14 alliance is mulling a new plan to push forward the formation of the new cabinet that would be based on the Baabda declaration.

“The coalition will form a political-media pressure bloc to form a neutral cabinet,” March 14 forces general-secretariat coordinator Fares Souaid said in comments published in al-Joumhouria newspaper on Saturday.