Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea expressed on Monday the March 14 alliance's readiness not to participate in the new cabinet's line-up so that it wouldn't be accused of obstructing the formation process.

“Despite it's not fair but our coalition is ready to remain out of the new government like Hizbullah,” Geagea said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

Efforts to form a new government are seeming more complicated with Speaker Nabih Berri halting his initiative aimed at ending the deadlock, said the daily An Nahar Sunday.

Sources monitoring the formation process revealed that Hizbullah had urged the speaker to halt the initiative without explaining the reasons for it.

Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun said Saturday that the “strategic understanding” with the resistance hasn't changed despite disagreements on local issues, adding the FPM and Hizbullah would have similar stances on their participation in the new government.

“The strategic understanding with the resistance will not change but there are some local issues that there should be leniency in dealing with,” Aoun told Hizbullah's al-Nour radio in an interview.

Meetings expected to be held by the country's top leaders on the sidelines of an Iftar banquet at Baabda palace next Tuesday are expected to facilitate the cabinet formation process, ministerial sources said.

Sources said on Saturday that President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati and Premier-designate Tammam Salam are expected to meet on the sidelines of the Iftar.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam said Saturday that he hasn't yet reached the stage of giving up the formation of the new government, adding there was still a possibility to put together a cabinet.

In remarks to As Safir daily, Salam said: “The Lebanese want the formation of the government and do not care about conditions and counter-conditions.”

Speaker Nabih Berri has snapped back at the March 14 alliance without naming it, saying the new government would not be formed without Hizbullah's participation in it.

In remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper published Friday, Berri said it was impossible to form the government without having Hizbullah representatives in it.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed that his resigned cabinet will not convene to appoint a new Army commander, pointing out that the parliament has to hold a session to extend the tenure of the current army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji.

“We are not in a condition that allows us to agree on a new army commander,” Miqati said in comments published in al-Akhbar newspaper on Thursday.

More Free Patriotic Movement officials confirmed on Thursday their rift with the rest of the March 8 alliance's parties despite alleged efforts by Hizbullah to bridge the gap between Speaker Nabih Berri and FPM leader Michel Aoun.

In remarks to As Safir daily, Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil, who is an FPM official, reiterated that his party was no longer part of the March 8 coalition that includes Hizbullah and Berri's Amal movement.

Efforts to line-up the cabinet gained momentum on Tuesday as PM-designate Tammam Salam met a number of officials and held talks with Speaker Nabih Berri who said that March 8 is no longer unified, and that each of its components will negotiate Salam separately on the cabinet formation, according to As-Safir.

Berri told Salam that the Amal Movement and Hizbullah will negotiate on their share in the cabinet separately from their ally Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun, according to the daily.

Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil has reportedly informed Premier-designate Tammam Salam that the Change and Reform bloc was no longer part of the March 8 alliance.

Al-Joumhouria newspaper said Bassil told Salam during a meeting they held on Tuesday that the Free Patriotic Movement's conditions in the cabinet line-up were separate from those set by Hizbullah and Amal movement.