Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Sunday welcomed President Michel Suleiman's announcement that Saudi Arabia will give three billion dollars to the Lebanese army, describing the move as “a step towards transiting to a real state” whose army “is not rivaled by any other army.”

“In his address to the Lebanese, President Michel Suleiman announced an extraordinary step towards transiting to a real state whose authority is not challenged by any other authority, whose army is not rivaled by any other party, and whose constitution is not breached by any other constitution,” Hariri said in a statement.

President Michel Suleiman on Sunday announced that Saudi Arabia has decided to donate three billion dollars with the aim of purchasing French weapons for the Lebanese army as soon as possible.

After canceling a much-anticipated press conference previously scheduled for Sunday evening, Suleiman appeared in a televised address to declare that he managed through his talks with Saudi King Abdullah to secure “extraordinary support” for the army.

The assassination of former Finance Minister Mohammed Shatah is likely to speed up efforts to form a new government, reported the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on Sunday.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam's sources told the daily that Salam recent meeting with President Michel Suleiman stressed the need to form a new cabinet soon.

Politicians, clergymen, diplomats, civil society activists and grieving relatives converged on Mohammed al-Amin mosque in downtown Beirut on Saturday to extend their condolences to the family of former Finance Minister Mohammed Shatah.

President Michel Suleiman and caretaker Premier Najib Miqati were at the helm of top officials who condoled the family and the leader of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc former PM Fouad Saniora.

The Higher Defense Council agreed on Saturday to refer the assassination case of ex-Finance Minister Mohammed Shatah and the "latest crimes" to the Judicial Council, Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati and the HDC announced.

“During our meeting with (President Michel) Suleiman, the caretaker Justice Minister joined us, so we asked him to prepare the appropriate documents to refer yesterday’s crime and the recent crimes to the Judicial Council,” Miqati said following an emergency HDC meeting at Baabda Palace.

Senior officials denounced on Friday the assassination of former Finance Minsiter and adviser of ex-PM Saad Hariri, Mohammed Shatah, and several others in an explosion in Starco area in downtown Beirut.

President Michel Suleiman stressed that the “the coward crime will only make the Lebanese more determined to preserve their country.”

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stressed on Tuesday that remarks concerning a possible presidential vacuum is an insult to the country and the post.

He pointed out in statements to visitors, who arrived at Bkirki to congratulate him on the occasion of Christmas, that “the country cannot tolerate actions and reactions.”

Marada movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh vowed on Thursday not to extend President Michel Suleiman's term and said he was a candidate for the presidency along with Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun.

In remarks to al-Manar TV, Franjieh said: “I will not back the extension of President Michel Suleiman's mandate no matter what my allies did.”

Hizbullah deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem warned on Thursday the formation of a cabinet other than all-embracing national political government, saying that "all options are open.”

Qassem speaking to Hizbullah's al-Manar channel lashed out at proposals to form a neutral or de-facto cabinets, pointing out that these kind of governments would spread “chaos, danger and complications.”

Al-Mustaqbal bloc lawmakers reiterated on Thursday their demand for the formation of a neutral government, accusing Hizbullah of causing the vacuum in Lebanon's state institutions.

In remarks to local radio and TV stations, the MPs said President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam should form a government made up of non political figures.