The bickering between President Michel Suleiman and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun didn’t go unnoticed during St. Maroun Day on Thursday after Aoun violated the protocol and entered the St. George Cathedral after the head of state.

Media reports said Friday that several officials were frustrated when Aoun delayed his entry to the cathedral to attend a mass celebrated by Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi reiterated on the occasion of St. Maroun Day on Thursday his call for the adoption of a new social pact to renew the national pact of 1943.

During a sermon at the St. George Cathedral in downtown Beirut, al-Rahi said the new pact would be based on mutual respect, equality and cooperation that would neutralize Lebanon and steer it clear of regional and international axes.

Minister of State Ali Qanso has appeased fears over a protracted government crisis, saying cabinet sessions could resume next week or by the end of February.

In remarks to al-Liwaa daily published Thursday, Qanso said that some mediation efforts have been launched to bring the bickering sides together after Premier Najib Miqati suspended cabinet sessions over what he termed the obstacles put forward by ministers loyal to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.

President Michel Suleiman praised on Wednesday the role of the army in maintaining the civil peace and protecting the citizens, reported the National News Agency.

He called on the people to support the army in order to avert any possible repercussions of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon.

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly stressed on Wednesday that the U.N. remains committed to further consolidating was has been achieved since the adoption of Security Council resolution 1701.

He said after meeting with Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour: “The United Nations remains deeply committed to promoting the security and stability of Lebanon.”

Premier Najib Miqati has rejected to launch an initiative to resolve the cabinet crisis as Speaker Nabih Berri has also refused so far to mediate between him and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.

Miqati’s sources told al-Akhbar daily published Wednesday that the PM “can no longer tolerate” the way ministers loyal to Aoun are dealing with him.

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour has made changes in the positions of 83 third rank diplomats and vowed to make more modifications in other posts.

Mansour’s decision on Tuesday included bringing back 13 diplomats from missions abroad into the foreign ministry in Beirut. It also gave 52 diplomats posts in Lebanese missions in different countries in the world.

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader Fouad Saniora revealed on Wednesday that he discussed with President Michel Suleiman a day earlier the controversial deployment of the Lebanese army in northern areas bordering Syria.

“We discussed a lot of issues, including the government (crisis), the situation in the region, the economy, the deployment of the army in the North, the security situation and (verbal) attacks on the president and the premier,” Saniora told An Nahar daily.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun criticized on Tuesday President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s practices, saying that they are violating the Change and Reform bloc ministers’ efforts to exercise the rights they have been granted by the constitution.

He said after the Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting: “Suleiman and Miqati are violating our rights in the administrative appointments.”

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun denied that he was obstructing government activity, accusing Prime Minister Najib Miqati of abusing his power when he decided to suspend cabinet sessions.

The MP told As Safir newspaper in remarks published on Monday: “The president and prime minister are taking turns in confronting me … we will not be blackmailed or intimidated … and I will topple the government at the appropriate time.”