The government on Wednesday approved the long-awaited diplomatic appointments, selecting ambassadors comprised of state employees and non-state employees, in the first cabinet session to be held after the assassination of Intelligence Bureau head Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan and amid calls for the cabinet to step down.

MTV, meanwhile, reported that "the ministers of the National Struggle Front voiced reservations over the government's appointment of non-state employees as ambassadors."

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs Elizabeth Jones arrived in Lebanon on Tuesday where she is set to hold talks with senior officials.

She kicked off her visit by holding separate talks with President Michel Suleiman and Speaker Nabih Berri.

The national dialogue session that has been set for November 12 will likely be postponed to November 29, reported As Safir newspaper on Tuesday.

It said that the postponement may be aimed at “covering up the errors” of the March 14-led opposition.

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Monday that dialogue is the “only” and “most elevated” way to resolve the current crisis in the country and find a solution for it.

“Dialogue should be based on good intentions and open minds by giving priority to Lebanon's interests,” Suleiman pointed out.

Finance Minister Mohammed al-Safadi stressed on Monday that the cabinet will go on with its tasks as long as it still has the parliament's confidence.

“Nothing has changed,” al-Safadi said after holding talks with Prime Minister Najib Miqati at the Grand Serail.

Efforts are underway in order to bridge the differences between former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat in light of the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Sunday.

It revealed that President Michel Suleiman contacted the two officials in order to ease the dispute between them.

President Michel Suleiman reiterated on Friday his call for Lebanese foes to attend the all-party talks, congratulating the Lebanese on the Eid al-Adha occasion.

“I hope this occasion would be a chance for the Lebanese to reach consensus among each other, and put forward Lebanon's interests,” Suleiman said.

A U.S. investigation team arrived in Beirut on Thursday and began gathering evidence at the scene of the bombing that killed Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan, chief of the Intelligence Bureau of the Internal Security Forces, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said.

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation team is at the scene of the crime and has begun collecting evidence," Charbel told Agence France Presse.

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly voiced on Wednesday her country's hope that all parties will exercise restraint and respect for the country's security and stability.

Connelly briefed President Michel Suleiman after a meeting at the Baabda Palace that the U.S. and international community fear that Lebanon might slip into instability and any political vacuum.

President Michel Suleiman carried on his consultations on Wednesday with Lebanese foes over the deteriorating situation in the country and the possibility of resuming the national dialogue sessions as soon as possible.

Suleiman held talks on Wednesday with Hizbullah's Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc head MP Mohammed Raad at the Baabda Palace.