Speaker Nabih Berri on Saturday held a two-hour meeting with head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc ex-PM Fouad Saniora in Ain al-Tineh.

“The meeting is a continuation of the talks we held more than two weeks ago. We discussed a large number of key issues that are of interest to the Lebanese and the dialogue was positive, beneficial and constructive,” Saniora said after the meeting.

Lebanese officials expressed relief on Saturday over the near return of the nine Lebanese pilgrims, who were kidnapped by rebels in Syria last year.

Speaker Nabih Berri congratulated the nine men and their relatives.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati expressed unease at the failure to form a new government, saying he wanted to refer his authorities to the new PM as soon as possible.

In an interview with As Safir daily published on Monday, Miqati said: “I am not comfortable with the continued status of caretaking.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea rejected calls for awarding the 10 offshore blocks for oil exploration at one time, pointing out that the drilling process isn't “urgent” and can wait for the formation of a new cabinet.

“We should designate one or two blocks in the first stage so that we could award the remaining oil blocks with higher prices and the state would also gain the necessary expertise to deal with the matter,” Geagea said in an interview with As Safir newspaper on Thursday.

Speaker Nabih Berri expressed concern over the “ongoing tampering with Lebanon's oil wealth,” wondering about the reasons that are preventing caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati from calling for an “extraordinary” cabinet session to tackle two decrees essential to award the oil blocs for the oil companies.

“Miqati's hesitating stance is questionable,” Berri said in comments published in As Safir newspaper on Wednesday.

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Tuesday on the importance of Iranian-Saudi rapprochement, considering that it creates detente in Lebanon and the region.

"An Iranian-Saudi rapprochement will be greatly reflected in the region as it will not only create detente in Syria, but in Lebanon and Iraq as well,” Berri said after meeting with his Iranian counterpart Ali Larijani on the sidelines of the 129th Inter-Parliamentary Union conference in Geneva.

Sharp discord over the petroleum file reached a dead end on Monday as political foes are holding onto their stances regarding the necessity of holding an extraordinary session to tackle two decrees essential to award the oil blocs for the oil companies.

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil revealed in comments published in As Safir newspaper that he will contact caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati soon to discuss the matter.

Speaker Nabih Berri on Sunday warned from Geneva that “the scheme aiming to tear apart a number of Arab states is still ongoing.”

“The winds that are lashing Libya, Egypt, Iraq and Syria put the region in a dangerous situation, which requires a responsible and firm stance in order to confront this scheme,” Berri said on the sidelines of the 129th Inter-Parliamentary Union conference in Switzerland.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat denied on Saturday reports saying that he is preventing the cabinet from holding an extraordinary session to discuss two decrees essential to award the oil blocks for the oil companies.

“If the issue requires an extraordinary session to resolve it then I don't mind but the recommendations of the petroleum authority should be taken into consideration,” Jumblat said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

Speaker Nabih Berri on Friday announced that current international efforts to help Lebanon cope with the Syrian refugee crisis are “insufficient,” noting that they are insignificant compared to the “extreme” measures the country is facing in the tourism and banking sectors.

During a meeting with World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa Inger Andersen and WB Mideast director Ferid Belhaj, Berri lauded “the international efforts that are aimed at preserving Lebanon's stability and helping it in aiding the Syrian refugees.”