AMAL Movement politburo member MP Hani Qobeissi has announced that forming the new government is “more important” than “attending the meetings of an Arab summit that will not change anything at all levels, locally and at the Arab level.”

The works of the Beirut-hosted fourth edition of the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit kicked off on Sunday, amid the absence of the vast majority of Arab heads of state.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri received at the Rafik Hariri International Airport, the Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah who arrived in Lebanon to take part in Beirut’s economic summit.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri visited leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, ex-MP Walid Jumblat at his residence in Clemenceau, the National News Agency reported on Saturday.

Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani informed the Presidential Palace that he will personally head Qatar’s delegation attending the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit held in Beirut on Sunday, a statement from the Lebanese Presidency said Monday.

Despite the political controversy accompanying Beirut’s Arab Economic and Development Summit and the preoccupation with preparations for the meeting in Bkirki, contacts to resolve the government formation impasse “did not stop,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri on Friday downplayed the absence of the majority of Arab leaders and senior officials from Beirut's Arab Economic and Social Development Summit, saying success lies in holding the summit despite the controversy that has surrounded it.

“Regardless of representation, success lies in holding this summit because there was an attempt to prevent it from taking place,” Hariri told reporters after meeting Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held talks Friday with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri at the Center House and called for the speedy formation of a “consensus government” in Lebanon.

“It was a fruitful meeting during which I held with the prime minister a detailed discussion on the bilateral ties between Egypt and Lebanon. We also tackled the Arab and regional situations,” Shoukry said after the meeting.

Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit said Friday that the League's member states have not yet reached a consensus on Syria's return to the 22-member bloc.

"When there is an Arab consensus, and when we are sure there is no objection from one side or the other, it will be as simple as putting it on the agenda of a meeting" of Arab foreign ministers, he said at a Beirut joint press conference with caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil.

Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Jebran Bassil and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday marked the third anniversary of the landmark Maarab reconciliation between their two parties.

“In politics, several things change, but the reconciliation was a profound action that we carried out together with the LF and it is higher than all agreements,” Bassil tweeted.