Senior western officials, as well as officials from the Gulf countries and the Arab League, may soon visit Beirut, al-Joumhouria newspaper said Monday.

The daily reported that the western diplomatic drive would include visits from senior officials from France and the Vatican.

Qatari officials have suggested to Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil the name of Army chief Gen. Joseph Aoun as a presidential candidate as France got closer to announcing its support for Aoun, al-Akhbar newspaper reported.

The daily said Monday that France's endorsement for Aoun has been confirmed. Backed by Riyadh and Washington, France is now close to announcing its support for the army chief's candidacy, al-Akhbar had previously said.

Kataeb Secretary-General Serge Dagher denied Monday an alleged meeting with Hezbollah, after a local media report had claimed a meeting between representatives from Hezbollah and the Kataeb party in Beirut's southern suburb.

A Hezbollah MP, Hezbollah political bureau member Mohammad Khansa, and Dagher have attended a meeting at the Kataeb's request, al-Akhbar newspaper said, in remarks published Monday.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has pledged that Damascus will continue to back Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The presidential vacuum will be lengthy despite the "intensity" of the French efforts and attempts by Paris, backed by Washington, Riyadh and some local forces, to reach a "compromise candidate called Joseph Aoun," al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Saturday.

Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Friday emphasized that the election of a new president for the country is not solely the responsibility of Hezbollah.

“The obligatory path for the beginning of reforms and the beginning of working for rescuing Lebanon is the election of the president, that’s why all blocs are responsible for the election of the president and let no one hold Hezbollah alone responsible,” Qassem said.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Friday held a meeting in Ain el-Tineh with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

State-run National News Agency said the talks tackled “the general situations and the latest political developments.”

Hezbollah might endorse the presidential nomination of al-Marada chief Suleiman Franjieh without the approval of the Free Patriotic Movement, caretaker Minister of information Ziad Makari said.

"I can confirm that Hezbollah will endorse Franjieh," Makari told al-Jadeed TV on Friday.

The French are studying with the Americans the possibility of speeding up the importation of gas and electricity from Egypt and Jordan to Lebanon, a media report said on Friday.

Paris, Washington and “Arab capitals, including Cairo and Amman, are mulling to settle the debate within a few weeks and eliminate the obstacles that are preventing the implementation of the plan,” al-Akhbar newspaper quoted informed sources as saying.

France, supported by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, is coming close to announcing its support for Army chief Joseph Aoun as a presidential candidate, al-Akhbar newspaper reported Friday.

It said that a high-level French official might visit Beirut soon as France is preparing for new talks led by Ambassador Anne Grillo, after it failed to agree with Washington and Riyadh on a solution initiative.