U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterated on Tuesday her country's support to consultations carried out by President Michel Suleiman with Lebanese foes to form a “transitioning government.”

Clinton, in a letter handed to Suleiman by U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly, hailed the efforts exerted by the president to form a new transitioning cabinet “that reflects the aspirations of the Lebanese people and strengthens Lebanon’s stability, sovereignty, and independence.”

Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun said Tuesday that there is a need for dialogue to resolve the country's political problems, adding the government would not collapse under pressure.

Following talks with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace as part of consultations the head of state is holding with the country's major political parties, Aoun said: “There is a need for dialogue. Or else how would we solve the problem? by resorting to the streets with arms?”

President Michel Suleiman demanded on Monday security and judiciary officials to detain the suspects who were responsible for the clashes that erupted the day before at the southern port city of Sidon and to take the necessary measures to control the situation in the area.

“We must be aware not to slip over into sedition,” Suleiman said.

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour headed on Monday to Cairo to preside over two meetings for the Arab League Ministerial Council, which Lebanon took over its chairmanship on September 5.

Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported that Mansour will chair the Arab League Foreign Affairs meeting and a meeting between European-Arab Foreign Ministers, which will tackle the joint cooperation.

Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun said Saturday that the March 8 alliance is not ready to give up power to the March 14 coalition that is rejecting to sit at the same table with the ruling majority.

“We are not ready to give up power to people who claim they won't sit at a single table with us,” Aoun said in an interview with al-Nour radio station. “We have made many compromises to sit with them at the table.”

President Michel Suleiman discussed with Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour on Saturday preparations underway at Lebanese missions abroad to allow expats to cast their ballots next year.

Parliament hasn't yet approved an electoral law after the cabinet referred to it a bill that divides Lebanon into 13 electoral districts based on proportional representation.

The U.N. Special envoy for the implementation of U.N. Security Council resolution 1559 said the world should give “priority to protecting Lebanon from harm at this difficult time.”

“Lebanon should not become a battleground for actors seeking to advance their own interests at the country’s expense or to destabilize the region,” Terje Roed-Larsen told the Security Council on Friday during a briefing on U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon's 16th semi-annual report on the implementation of 1559.

President Michel Suleiman ruled out on Friday the postponement of next year's parliamentary polls saying the rotation of power is the right path in democratic life.

In remarks to a delegation from the Loyalty to the Nation Movement, Suleiman said: “In no way the elections would be postponed because the rotation of power is the first path in the practice of democracy.”

The political crisis in the country has reached a deadlock as the political foes remain holding on to their stances amid reports saying that President Michel Suleiman is seeking the consent of the rival parties on a suggestion to reshuffle Prime Minister Najib Miqati's cabinet instead of collapsing it.

Sources close to Hizbullah told al-Liwaa newspaper that Suleiman is suggesting a cabinet reshuffle based on dividing portfolios equally between the March 8 camp, the March 14-led opposition and the centrists.

Speaker Nabih Berri has expressed frustration at the failure of Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour to welcome his French counterpart during a visit to Beirut last week, sources close to the speaker said Friday.

Mansour's absence from the welcoming ceremony of French President Francois Hollande and Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius last Sunday is not right at the level of protocol, the sources told al-Akhbar newspaper.