Speaker Nabih Berri has said that the cabinet is expected to discuss soon oil exploration decrees that have been left in the government's drawers over political differences.

In remarks published in local newspapers on Monday, Berri reiterated that the exploration file “has been put on the right track.”

The much-anticipated dialogue between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal movement is scheduled to start on Tuesday, media reports said, although Speaker Nabih Berri did not confirm the date.

Local dailies published on Monday said the representatives of the two parties will meet in Ain el-Tineh under Berri, who will later withdraw from the talks to pave way for the rivals to discuss controversial issues.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani is expected to arrive in Lebanon at the beginning of next week in a what is seen as precursor to the expected dialogue between the Mustaqbal Movement and Hizbullah, reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.

Larijani's visit is expected to pave the way for the talks that media reports said will be held on December 29.

Speaker Nabih Berri expressed pessimism on Saturday regarding the new electoral law, considering that the rival parties will not reach consensus over the matter.

“I expect that the 1960 electoral law to remain for a long time,” Berri's visitors quoted him as saying in comments published in al-Joumhouria newspaper.

Speaker Nabih Berri has asked Lebanon's Ambassador to Washington to inquire the U.S. administration about the reasons behind the procrastination of a top energy diplomat in resolving the territorial dispute between Lebanon and Israel.

Berri told his visitors on Thursday that he asked Ambassador Antoine Chedid to ask the State Department on why Amos Hochstein has stopped his mission.

Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani is expected to arrive in Beirut over the weekend for talks with senior Lebanese officials.

The Iranian official will reportedly hold talks with his Lebanese counterpart Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Tammam Salam and prominent Hizbullah officials, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Friday.

Britain's Middle East Minister Tobias Ellwood has said that he encouraged rival leaders to engage in dialogue and elect a new head of state.

Ellwood told An Nahar daily in remarks published on Thursday that during talks with Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Tammam Salam he called for dialogue and stressed the importance of swiftly filling the vacuum at Baabda Palace.

Speaker Nabih Berri called on Thursday for the formation of a security cell to tackle the abduction of servicemen who are held by Islamist gunmen, stressing on the complete coherence with Prime Minister Tammam Salam regarding the case.

Berri said in comments published in al-Mustaqbal newspaper that there is complete coherence between his adviser Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil and Salam regarding the case.

The offshore gas exploration file is being put on the right track following Speaker Nabih Berri's campaign to adopt decrees that are necessary to stop Israel from drilling oil from Lebanon's reserves.

Local dailies on Wednesday quoted Berri as saying that an agreement was reached among Energy Minister Arthur Nazarian, the head of the parliamentary energy committee, MP Mohammed Qabbani, and the members of the Petroleum Administration to revive the file.

Speaker Nabih Berri has said that the suspension of the Lebanese Forces' participation in discussions on an electoral draft-law would not impede the work of the parliamentary subcommittee that is dealing with the matter.

Berri told his visitors that the LF stance “does not end the work of the committee nor suspends the deadline set for it until the start of the new year.”