Caretaker Transportation and Public Works Minister Ghazi al-Aridi stressed the need for the participation of all political powers in a new government, reported the daily An Nahar Sunday.

He told the daily: “A new government that does not include a major Lebanese political power will not be viable.”

Caretaker Transportation and Public Works Minister Ghazi al-Aridi criticized on Wednesday the conditions being placed in the government formation process.

He said after holding talks with Speaker Nabih Berri: “A new cabinet cannot be formed in light of unyielding conditions.”

National Struggle Front members led by MP Walid Jumblat submitted on Thursday to the interior ministry their candidacies for the parliamentary elections.

The National News Agency said the seven candidates are Jumblat, Nehme Tohme, Elie Aoun and Alaeddine Terro from the Shouf district, Akram Shehhayeb representing electorates in Aley, Ayman Shuqair from Baabda and Wael Abu Faour from the Western Bekaa.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati is scheduled to visit Ankara on a one-day visit Wednesday for discussions that will include the case of nine Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said.

Charbel told As Safir daily published Tuesday that Miqati will discuss with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials several issues, including the latest negotiations on the Lebanese hostages, who are held by rebels in the Aleppo town of Aazaz that lies near the Turkish border.

Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh stressed on Tuesday that he is ready to attend any dialogue session that President Michel Suleiman calls for, accusing the March 14 opposition of forcing its conditions on the rest of the factions.

“Dialogue is the only solution to any crisis and the other team wants to tailor the solutions according to its interests,” Franjieh said following talks with a Progressive Socialist Party delegation tasked with discussing with rival parties an initiative by Druze leader MP Walid Jumblat.

Head of the Lebanese Democratic Party MP Talal Arslan voiced on Thursday his support of Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat's initiative aimed at persuading various political powers to return to the national dialogue.

He said: “The balanced and national position expressed by Jumblat is aimed at breaking the deadlock between the Lebanese factions through dialogue as there can be no substitute to the all-party talks.”

Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi said Friday following talks with Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun at the head of a Progressive Socialist Party delegation that the two sides agreed on the need to revive dialogue.

“We agreed on several issues mainly on the need to revive dialogue,” said Aridi from Aoun's residence in Rabieh.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat's initiative to end the political deadlock in Lebanon between the rival March 8 and 14 camps is being coordinated with President Michel Suleiman, reported As Safir newspaper on Tuesday.

His efforts are taking place with the “complete coordination” Suleiman, he told the daily, with a PSP delegation set to visit the presidential palace later on Tuesday.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said on Monday that he would not personally make contacts with March 8 majority and opposition members as part of a PSP initiative to resolve the country's political crisis.

In remarks to As Safir newspaper, Jumblat confirmed that the PSP and his National Struggle Front bloc would launch an initiative to lure back the March 14 opposition alliance to the national dialogue table and seek the formation of a national salvation government.

National Struggle Front ministers, of MP Walid Jumblat, stressed on Tuesday that Lebanon is passing through a political crisis, adding that they “don't mind the resignation of the government if it means resolving the crisis.”

Transportation and Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi said: “There is no such thing as a holy government and no cabinet can remain in power in light of a reality such as the one we are experiencing today.”