A March 14 opposition alliance delegation handed Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday a petition that calls for the extension of the tenures of top security officials.

The petition with nearly 69 signatures was handed over to Berri during a visit to Ain el-Tineh. It calls for holding a parliamentary session to discuss an urgent draft-law to modify the retirement age of officers in leadership posts in the army, the Internal Security Forces and other security agencies.

Centrist Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat is keen to maintain the ties with Speaker Nabih Berri to safeguard the national unity, calling on the political foes to kick off consultations to form the new cabinet.

“My stance will always remain in harmony with Berri over the name of the nominee to head the government and maintaining the national unity,” Jumblat said in comments published in As Safir newspaper on Wednesday.

Head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc ex-PM Fouad Saniora is expected to hold talks on Wednesday with Speaker Nabih Berri as part of consultations among foes over the new electoral law, An Nahar newspaper reported.

According to the daily, Mustaqbal MP Ahmed Fatfat and ex-Prime Minister Saad Hariri's adviser Mohammed Shatah, who are tasked by the bloc to tackle the electoral law with the rival parties, will also hold talks with the speaker.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Tuesday noted that his recent stance on participation in national dialogue was “personal” and does not reflect March 14's viewpoint, revealing that the coalition will clarify its position over the formation of a new cabinet within the next two days.

In an interview with the Central News Agency, Geagea called on Speaker Nabih Berri to “hold a plenary parliamentary session to approve the draft law” linked to extending the term of Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi.

Speaker Nabih Berri held talks on Tuesday with several officials from March 8 and 14 as part of consultations on government crisis and the new electoral law amid reports saying that he will call for a parliamentary session on April 5.

Free Patriotic Movement caretaker Minister Jebran Bassil, Hizbullah leader's aide Hussein Khalil and former minister Youssef Saad held discussions with the speaker in presence of his assistant Ali Hassan Khalil in Ain el-Tineh.

Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday strongly advocated national dialogue to limit the tension in the country and agree on a consensus prime minister to prevent a delay in the formation of a new national government that would be fully committed to the dissociation policy.

In an interview with pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, Berri said that if President Michel Suleiman launches consultations with rival parliamentary blocs on April 2, then each party will provide different names on the person who would lead the new cabinet.

Speaker Nabih Berri said Monday that the national dialogue at Baabda palace has become a necessity after the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Miqati's government.

The resumption of the dialogue has become “urgent and necessary” to study how the parliamentary elections could be held and the new government formed, Berri told As Safir daily.

Speaker Nabih Berri called on March 14 alliance to engage in dialogue with foes after the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Miqati's cabinet, stressing that the all-party talks should focus on the formation of a new government.

“The way is open for the resumption of dialogue under the auspices of President (Michel) Suleiman,” Berri said in comments published in An Nahar on Sunday.

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri discussed separately with Speaker Nabih Berri and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, the latest developments on the controversial electoral draft-law issue, Hariri's media office said in a statement Friday.

In a phone call, Hariri and Berri tackled the latest developments in that regard and the efforts exerted to reach common ground between conflicting parliamentary blocs on an electoral law that meets approval of all, the statement added.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati held talks on Friday with Speaker Nabih Berri to discuss the latest local developments, the state-run National News Agency reported.

According to the news agency, the meeting that was held in Ain el-Tineh tackled the cabinet's decision to refer the new wage scale for public employees to the parliament.