U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly on Wednesday noted that the international support for Lebanon that was decided at the NY meeting is a “continuous process” that will be expanded “in due course,” revealing that the issue will be discussed in Washington during a World Bank meeting next week.

Following talks with Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh, Plumbly said he briefed the Lebanese leader on the inaugural meeting of the International Support Group for Lebanon in New York, describing it as “a strong indicator of the international commitment to supporting Lebanon during this difficult period.”

Speaker Nabih Berri said Tuesday that there has been consensus not to engage in infighting and expressed optimism that Lebanon's political crisis will end soon.

Berri told a delegation from the Economic Committees led by Adnan Kassar that Lebanon is relatively better than other countries in the region despite all its problems.

Lebanese top officials will resume efforts to hold a national dialogue after Premier-designate Tammam Salam informed President Michel Suleiman that there was no progress in the formation of the new government.

An Nahar daily said Tuesday that Suleiman will exert efforts to hold the all-party talks by coordinating with Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati upon his return from a private trip abroad.

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Monday that his initiative doesn't target the jurisdictions of the President or the Premiers, pointing out that it aims at reviving dialogue among the Lebanese and bridging the gap between the foes to end the lingering crises.

“My initiative was set according to national interests,” Berri said in comments published in local newspapers.

Lebanese officials followed up on Saturday the sinking of an asylum boat off the coast of Indonesia's main island Java, which killed at least 21 people, including 14 Lebanese.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati said after holding talks with a delegations from the relatives of the victims that the Lebanese charge d'affaires at the Lebanese embassy in Jakarta was tasked with issuing passports for all the survivors and return them to Lebanon.

The controversial debate over the formation of the cabinet is facing an impasse as each side remains holding on to it's stance.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati called on Friday in comments published in As Safir newspaper for the formation of a “reasonable” government based on a formula that is capable of succeeding.

Head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc Fouad Saniora on Thursday said he agreed with Speaker Nabih Berri to continue their talks on the thorny domestic issues, following a meeting that lasted more than two hours in Ain al-Tineh.

“The discussions tackled all the topics that are of interest for the Lebanese and the dialogue was serious,” Saniora told reporters.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea slammed Hizbullah for rejecting serious dialogue on its arms and said it was too early to discuss about his possible candidacy for the presidential elections next year.

In an interview with Rose El Youssef Egyptian magazine that will be published on Saturday, Geagea said: “Hizbullah is not ready for any serious discussion on the state and holds onto its doctrine and political project.”

Speaker Nabih Berri ruled out on Wednesday that President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam would seek to form a cabinet that would be divided equally between the political foes.

“If a de facto cabinet was formed then the resumption of the dialogue and any possible solutions to the current crises will be blocked,” Berri said in comments published in local newspapers.

The parliamentary session, which Speaker Nabih Berri had called for, was postponed for the fifth time on Monday over lack of quorum.

The new session will be held on October 23.