Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag held talks Monday in Baabda with President Michel Aoun and noted that Lebanon can play a key role in the region and in Syria's rebuilding process.

Kaag served as the U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon from January 2015 until October 2017.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced Monday that the LF's three ministers will not resign from Prime Minister Saad Hariri's government, as he reiterated his call for Hizbullah's “withdrawal from the regional crises.”

“Some parties are trying to address the crisis in a shallow manner and this is wrong, seeing as we all support the settlement,” Geagea said after talks in Baabda with President Michel Aoun, referring to the 2016 settlement that led to Aoun's election and Hariri's designation as premier.

The presidential palace has denied reports claiming that President Michel Aoun has tasked a “presidential envoy” to negotiate the return of displaced Syrians with the Syrian government, Baabda sources told al-Mustaqbal daily on Saturday.

“The President did not task anyone. He is still thoroughly studying the case to determine the most appropriate solution,” the sources told the daily on condition of anonymity.

Political parties represented in the government convened in a consultative meeting on Thursday at the Presidential Palace in Baabda at the invitation of President Michel Aoun.

A closing statement said the conferees agreed on "continuing the implementation of the Document of National Accord (Taef Accord), especially in terms of harmonizing between preserving our democratic, pluralistic system and devising a clear vision with a specific timeframe for a full transition to a complete civil state.”

Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced Thursday that he is optimistic that an agreement on a new electoral law will be reached soon, while stressing the importance of “reaching an equation that ensures correct representation.”

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Thursday visited President Michel Aoun in Baabda and stressed that a new electoral law should be reached as soon as possible.

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq announced Monday that Lebanon will have a new electoral law within a month, noting that it will inevitably contain a proportional representation component.

President Michel Aoun emphasized Monday that no one will be able to strain the relations between Christians and Druze in Lebanon, stressing the importance of unity in the Mount Lebanon district.

President Michel Aoun met on Wednesday with Syria's Grand Mufti Ahmed Badreddin Hassoun at the Baabda Palace, the National News Agency reported.

Hassoun was accompanied by Syrian Ambassador for Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali, NNA added.

Newly designated Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced after his designation on Thursday that he will begin his national duty with openness to all political blocs even those that abstained from naming him, as he assured that he will form a national unity government.

“President of the Republic General Michel Aoun honored me by asking me to form the government. I accepted, and would like to thank him for his confidence and the confidence of the deputies who honored me with this national assignment. I will be open to all parliamentary blocs, including those who did not name me, in accordance with our constitution and our democratic values,” said Hariri from Baabda Palace.