Premier-designate Najib Miqati visited President Michel Suleiman on Wednesday to inform him about the demands of the March 8 and 14 forces on the cabinet, An Nahar daily said.

The newspaper quoted sources as saying that both officials agreed to give contacts more time to exhaust all efforts to form a national unity cabinet or a national salvation government that includes both coalitions.

Premier-designate Najib Miqati is reportedly facing stiff demands by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun to be granted the majority of Christian seats in the new government.

Miqati’s brother, Taha, met with Aoun in Rabiyeh on Tuesday. An Nahar said that the FPM leader sent a message to the prime minister-designate that he wants a big share that “suits the size of his parliamentary bloc and his popular representation.”

Speaker Nabih Berri said Wednesday that he favored the participation of all parties in the cabinet without setting prior conditions on the shares of each side.

Following talks with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace, Berri said that “all former opposition parties support the premier-designate.”

Premier-designate Najib Miqati is expected to inform President Michel Suleiman about suggestions on the shape of the cabinet at a time when parties of the March 8 camp are competing over names and portfolios.

Baabda sources told al-Mustaqbal daily that Miqati would visit the presidential palace on Thursday. They said Suleiman is keen on seeing consensus between March 8 and 14 forces on the shape of the government.

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Monday the importance of preserving national unity and security to consolidate the democratic atmosphere that Lebanon enjoys.

A statement released by his press office said Suleiman told his visitors that the future cabinet should confront the latest challenges and solve social and administrative problems.

Prime Minister Designate Najib Miqati and the March 8 forces are making strong efforts to distribute portfolios among the alliance’s members excluding the March 14 forces, An Nahar daily reported Sunday.

The newspaper said that former Minister Naji Boustani would most likely have a portfolio from President Michel Suleiman’s share in the government. Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun is also seeking to bring back Jebran Bassil and Charbel Nahhas to the cabinet, it said.

Prime Minister designate Najib Miqati has stressed he won’t form a cabinet before exerting all efforts to include March 14 members in the new government.

In remarks to An Nahar daily published Sunday, Miqati said he would form a technocrat government that would include independent political figures with good ties with all sides if al-Mustaqbal bloc and the rest of the March 14 forces refuse to participate in the cabinet.

President Michel Suleiman is expected to hold talks on Saturday morning at the Baabda palace with Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati on the results of his consultations with parliamentary blocs and MPs.

Suleiman’s visitors reported him as saying that the issues of dispute between the Lebanese, especially those linked to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, should be resolved through dialogue.

Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati on Friday wrapped up two days of consultations with the various parliamentary blocs as part of efforts to form a new Lebanon government.

Miqati said there are two opposing views – one that is requesting commitments and one is seeking the opposite.

President Michel Suleiman voiced on Wednesday his satisfaction with the restoration of calm throughout Lebanon after a day of protests against the appointment of Najib Miqati as prime minister-designate.

He commended the security forces for their role in controlling the situation on the ground and maintaining the peace.