Lawmakers from the Mustaqbal bloc and March 14-led opposition will attend the luncheon banquet thrown by Speaker Nabih Berri in honor of Armenian President Serzh Sargysyan on Tuesday, reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.

It added that Mustaqbal bloc head MP Fouad Saniora will not be able to attend the banquet because he will be traveling.

A delegation from MP Walid Jumblat's Progressive Socialist Party held talks on Sunday with Prime Minister Najib Miqati as part of the lawmaker's ongoing efforts to reach an initiative to end Lebanon's current political crisis.

During the talks, Miqati "voiced support for the dialogue initiative that will be announced by PSP leader Walid Jumblat and the ideas it will include," said a statement issued by the PM's office.

Officials loyal to Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat visited Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh on Saturday as part of the initiative aimed at resolving the country's political crisis.

The delegation included Minister Alaeddine Terro, MP Akram Shehayeb and PSP Secretary Zafer Nasser.

Politically divided Lebanese made on Saturday a show of unity during an official ceremony in Rome that allowed Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi to join the elite club of churchmen who will elect the next pope.

Pope Benedict XVI formally elevated five other prelates at the ceremony that was held at St. Peter's Basilica, bestowing red hats and gold rings on them.

Disagreement on the Lebanese official delegation's participation in Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi's appointment as cardinal in Rome prevented the attendance of Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier Najib Miqati, al-Liwaa daily reported on Saturday.

The newspaper said that both Berri and Miqati refused to become “accessories” and wait in line following Suleiman's insistence to hold separate talks with Pope Benedict XVI on the eve of the ceremony.

Speaker Nabih Berri cancelled on Friday a parliamentary session scheduled for next week, during which Armenian President Serzh Sargysyan was planned to address MPs.

“As several ministers and fellow lawmakers are attending the ceremony of appointing Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi as a cardinal at the Vatican, the session on November 27 has been cancelled,” Berri said in a statement.

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc MP Ahmed Fatfat lashed out at Speaker Nabih Berri, considering him the reason behind the country's political crisis.

“He (Berri) is the problem, especially regarding his provocative approach with us (the March 14 alliance) in the parliament,” Fatfat said in comments published in al-Liwaa newspaper.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea issued on Wednesday an open letter to Speaker Nabih Berri, condemning the continued parliamentary meetings in light of the 25 assassinations and failed assassination attempts in Lebanon in the past few years.

He declared: “We will not perform any routine duty until assassinations in Lebanon end.”

The March 14 opposition decided on Tuesday to boycott the parliamentary session that Speaker Nabih Berri called for on November 27 to hear a speech by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

“We will not attend the two legislative session that Berri called for to welcome the Armenian president and to show solidarity with the Palestinian people” against the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, high-ranking sources in the opposition said in comments published in An Nahar newspaper.

Speaker Nabih Berri snapped back at accusations by the March 14 opposition alliance that he was seeking to push it into the “trap” of attending parliamentary sessions despite vows by the coalition to boycott legislative activity.

“What is the crime that Nabih Berri committed and what is the trap that he set for the opposition forces?” the speaker wondered in remarks carried by several local newspapers on Monday.