Speaker Nabih Berri called the parliament on Saturday to convene next week in order to discuss the government policy statement, the National News Agency reported.

Berri called the lawmakers for meetings over three consecutive days starting Tuesday through Thursday where the meetings will begin at 11:00 a.m.

The cabinet held a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Baabda on Saturday and approved a draft of the government's policy statement amid reservations expressed by Lebanese Forces ministers on the “role of the resistance” clause, the National News Agency said.

The cabinet approved the statement but the LF and State Minister Michel Pharaon expressed reservations as for the clause on the “role of the resistance,” NNA added.

Minister of Social Affairs Pierre Bou Assi stressed on Saturday that some issues in the government's policy statement require more discussions, as he assured that the LF is seeking a hybrid election law in the upcoming parliamentary elections, the National News Agency reported.

“There are still some pending issues in the ministerial statement which require more discussions and positions,” NNA quoted Bou Assi in an interview to Free Lebanon radio.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi raised prayers on Saturday for the new presidential term under President Michel Aoun to be able to confront the challenges in the country mainly achieving national reconciliation among the different political parties and devising a new electoral law that ensures balanced representation.

“We pray that the new presidential term is capable of confronting the challenges mainly the achievement of national reconciliation and an electoral law that guarantees proper representation,” said al-Rahi in his Christmas message.

The Lebanese Forces has “strongly rejected" a clause in the government's policy statement related to the “role of the Resistance” and has therefore demanded a replacement and for some time to study the policy before the cabinet convenes, al-Joumhouria daily reported Saturday.

“The Lebanese Forces has strongly disapproved a clause in the policy statement that read the “right of the people for resistance,” asking for replacing it with a clause that reads “right of the Lebanese State for resistance,”” LF source told the daily.

Tourism Minister Ouadis Kedenian expressed optimism on Friday as for the general situation in the country and said Lebanon's political scene has witnessed a quality leap via the election of new President Michel Aoun and the formation of a new cabinet following two years of presidential void, the National News Agency reported on Friday.

“I'm truly optimistic about the forthcoming phase, especially that some institutions will undergo improvement,” NNA added.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault will pay a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a bid to reactivate the Saudi grant to arm the Lebanese army, al-Joumhouria daily reported Friday.

Ayrault explained, during his meeting with senior Lebanese officials on Thursday, his quest to reactivate the $3 billion grant of advanced French weapons manufactured in his country.

Minister of Economy, Raed Khoury stressed on Thursday that fighting corruption is one of the priorities that the new tenure and the Free Patriotic Movement will focus on, the state-run National News Agency reported.

“Fighting corruption is the new era and the FPM's priorities,” said Khoury, stressing that price monitoring and control have begun with the start of the holidays.

President Michel Aoun held a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and his accompanying delegation at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, the state-run National News Agency reported on Thursday.

Ayrault who arrived Wednesday evening, left the Baabda Palace without making a statement, NNA added.

During the first cabinet session held at the Presidential Palace in Baabda on Wednesday, President Michel Aoun made a number of “commandments” advising members of the cabinet to abide by in order to hold productive meetings away from “stalling and political debate,” al-Joumhouria daily reported Thursday.

Aoun expressed satisfaction with the course of the first cabinet meeting, saying it reflected the “current balance of power in the country.”