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Opposition and March 8 Hold onto Stances amid Standstill in New Cabinet Formation

The March 14 opposition alliance held onto its stance that there can be no national dialogue with Hizbullah's presence at the table of the all party-talks, saying the only solution to the country's political crisis comes through a salvation government.

“Dialogue with the president is open to form a new government,” a high-ranking March 14 source told An Nahar daily about consultations held by President Michel Suleiman with the political parties to guarantee a way out of the crisis.

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PSP, Hizbullah Agree to Activate Govt. Work, Meet Periodically

A meeting was held Monday night between officials from the Progressive Socialist Party and Hizbullah at the residence of Public Works and Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi, during which the conferees agreed to “activate the government's work,” Hizbullah's al-Manar television reported.

The talks relaunched the "coordination meetings" between the two parties and "the conferees will meet again regardless of the circumstances," said al-Manar.

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Mustaqbal: Govt. Represents Vacuum Itself, Hollande Visit Supported Lebanon Sovereignty

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday noted that the main players in the government are trying to “mislead the Lebanese into thinking that the alternative to this government would be a protracted power vacuum, while the facts indicate that the persistence of this government in power is vacuum itself and is the cause of a major damage to the national interest.”

In a statement issued after its weekly meeting, the bloc said “French President Francois Hollande's visit to Lebanon carried a great positivity, despite its short duration,” adding that “it contributed to supporting the values of the sovereign, independent Lebanon and to protecting it from the threats affecting the region nowadays.”

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Miqati from Hungary: I Am Keen on Preventing Anything that May Cause Chaos in Lebanon

Prime Minister Najib Miqati kicked off on Tuesday an official visit to Hungary where he met with its President Janos Ader, Speaker Laszlo Kover, his counterpart Viktor Orban, and members of the Lebanese diaspora.

Miqati said after meeting Oraban that he had “sensed his complete support for the Lebanese government's policy, especially since Lebanon is at the center of the storms raging in the Middle East.”

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Aoun Rules out Need for Dialogue: March 14 MPs Should Resign if They Want to Boycott Parliament

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun criticized on Tuesday the March 14 camp's decision to boycott government work and national dialogue, blaming it for the repercussions of its actions.

He said after the Change and Reform bloc's weekly meeting: “Why are they carrying out the boycott? I do not understand. There is no need for dialogue now and the March 14 MPs should resign if they want to boycott parliament.”

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Al-Mustaqbal MP Hobeish, his Father Receive Death Threats

Former Minister Fawzi Hobeish confirmed on Tuesday reports that he and his son al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc MP Hadi Hobeish received death threats.

“Five unknown assailants aboard a BMW X5 model with tainted glass blocked the way off my car near Ghazir junction and asked my driver to convey a message to me and to my son,” Hobeish told the National News Agency.

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Egyptian FM Meets Senior Officials: Lebanese Must End Own Crisis Themselves

Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr arrived in Beirut on Tuesday for a two-day visit to meet with senior Lebanese officials and stress his country's support to the resumption of the national dialogue among the political foes.

He kicked off his visit by meeting with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in Maarab and later Speaker Nabih Berri and Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel.

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Aoun: Miqati's Cabinet in Power 'Until Further Notice'

Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun reiterated on Tuesday that the government of Prime Minister Najib Miqati will remain in power “until further notice.”

“It is forbidden to shove the country into a vacuum,” Aoun told As Safir newspaper.

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Berri: Endeavors to Solve the Lebanese Crisis are Still Blocked

Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated on Tuesday the necessity to hold dialogue among political powers away from external alliances, and stressed that “efforts to solve the (country's) crisis are still blocked.”

In an interview with the al-Akhbar daily, Berri encouraged Lebanese factions to solve their own problems, criticizing the opposition March 14 alliance for boycotting the cabinet activities.

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Report: Jumblat, Opposition at Loggerheads over Insistence to Keep Miqati at Helm of Cabinet

The major point of contention between Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat and the March 14 opposition alliance is his insistence to reappoint Prime Minister Najib Miqati if the cabinet collapses, As Safir daily reported on Tuesday.

Jumblat, a centrist, has a major role in deciding the fate of the majority alliance that makes up the current Hizbullah-led cabinet.

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