A Sept. 25 meeting of an international support group for Lebanon at the United Nations General Assembly will be based on a presidential statement issued by the Security Council this month, Lebanon's permanent representative to the U.N. said.

Ambassador Nawaf Salam told An Nahar daily published on Saturday that the meeting, which will be headed by U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon and President Michel Suleiman, will take as its starting point an international call for a strong support to Lebanon to confront the challenges that are threatening its security and stability.

A meeting will be held on the sidelines of next week's U.N. General Assembly in New York between President Michel Suleiman and his U.S. counterpart President Barack Obama.

The meeting will address the latest developments in the region and the negative repercussions caused by the Syrian turmoil on Lebanon, informed sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper published on Friday.

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.”

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam has criticized the initiative of Speaker Nabih Berri, saying the government can’t be formed through only a several-day national dialogue conclave.

“The only natural place for the formation of the government comes through the support of the PM-designate,” Salam told al-Akhbar newspaper in remarks published on Friday.

President Michel Suleiman headed two meetings on Wednesday to set standards for the influx of Syrian refugees and prepare for a Sept. 25 meeting of an international support group for Lebanon at the United Nations General Assembly.

Discussions at the first meeting focused on measures that Lebanese authorities should take to organize the entry of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, said a statement issued by Baabda Palace.

Speaker Nabih Berri said Wednesday the preliminary assessment of the meetings that members of his parliamentary bloc held with the country's top officials on his roadmap to resolve the political crisis was “encouraging.”

His stance came during his weekly meeting with MPs. “The initiative has received a major support from several parties,” he said.

UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Paolo Serra said Tuesday that he thanked President Michel Suleiman for Lebanon's strong commitment to U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 despite many challenges.

Following a meeting with Suleiman at Baabda Palace, Serra said: “ I expressed my appreciation for the strong commitment to resolution 1701 that Lebanon has demonstrated in the face of the multitude of challenges it has been dealing with.”

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Tuesday that it has become necessary to form a new government that tackles the people's daily concerns, especially in light of the advent of winter and the start of a new academic school year.

He said before his visitors: “The formation of a new cabinet will not change the political status quo or the situation around us.”

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi praised on Tuesday the stances of President Michel Suleiman that seek the interests of Lebanon and its constitutional institutions, criticizing powers that are skeptical of the army and security forces' competency in protecting Lebanon.

He said: “We have no need for autonomous security. Those who adopt such measures do not trust the state.”

President Michel Suleiman is scheduled to head a meeting of the Lebanese delegation that will travel to New York to agree on an official report on Lebanon's needs to confront the huge Syria refugee influx.

Al-Joumhouria newspaper quoted informed sources as saying Tuesday that the Baabda palace meeting is aimed at putting the final touches on the report drafted by the Social Affairs Ministry in coordination with the president's advisers.