The cabinet is expected to discuss a new wage hike next week after the Shura Council rejected on Tuesday a previous decree proposed by Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas on the increase of salaries.

The General Labor Confederation and the Economic Committees that had agreed to set the minimum wage at L675,000 – excluding the transportation allowance - welcomed the Shura Council’s rejection of the government decision aimed at setting the minimum salary at LL868,000 including a LL236,000 transportation allowance.

The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc renewed on Tuesday its support for the wage hike deal that was reached between the General Labor Confederation and the Economic Committees.

It warned in a statement after its weekly meeting “the government against taking financial and economic adventures that would negatively affect Lebanon.”

Speaker Nabih Berri said Tuesday that an approval of the decrees on the implementation of the oil exploration law will be the culmination of the government’s achievements.

In remarks to An Nahar daily, Berri said that the approval expected to be made by the cabinet on Wednesday will be “a vital achievement and the energy ministry will implement its mission … to open the door for (the operations of oil exploration) companies.”

Speaker Nabih Berri has criticized Premier Najib Miqati for warning that he would confront any attempt to target the authorities of the prime minister.

Former Minister Albert Mansour on Friday quoted Berri as saying that “constitutionally, there is no institution called the premiership.”

A wage hike made by the cabinet last week will most likely not be published in the official gazette this year as the Shura Council failed to issue its stance on the decision ahead of the last government session for 2011.

The cabinet convened at Baabda palace at noon Wednesday to discuss 37 items placed on its agenda. President Michel Suleiman and Premier Najib Miqati held closed-door talks ahead of the session.

Speaker Nabih Berri threatened on Tuesday the government against failing to issue the decrees concerning the implementation of decisions reached on oil exploration.

As Safir newspaper reported that Berri warned to call on the parliament to convene to question the cabinet over its performance if it didn’t issue the decrees during a session scheduled to be held at Baabda palace on Wednesday.

The Lebanese government remained tight-lipped on Saturday on Syrian claims that Lebanon had warned Damascus about the infiltration of al-Qaida members into Syria from its territories.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour was only quoted as saying that “Lebanon hasn’t officially notified the Syrian foreign ministry about the infiltration of al-Qaida members to Syria.”

The Free Patriotic Movement, Hizbullah and Amal dealt a blow to Premier Najib Miqati on Wednesday after they voted in favor of a wage boost decree proposed by Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas hours after the Economic Committees and the General Labor Confederation agreed with minor changes on a previous proposal made by the PM.

Fifteen ministers voted in favor of Nahhas’ wage hike decree while 11 voted against it. Minister Wael Abou Faour abstained from voting while Ministers Salim Karam, Faisal Karami and Nazem al-Khoury did not attend the session that was held at Baabda palace.

President Michel Suleiman discussed on Wednesday with lawmakers representing Beirut their project to establish an arms-free capital, according to the National News Agency.

They tackled the security situation in Beirut and the MPs’ project to remove “illegal arms” from the capital in order to fortify civil peace.

The rift over the wage hike decree is persisting as the cabinet is expected to tackle the top-priority issue on its agenda on Wednesday amid disputes between the Economic Committees and the General Labor Confederation on a LL25,000 increase.

Intensive contacts were held on Tuesday by Prime Minister Najib Miqati in an attempt to resolve the dispute over the raise. Separate delegations from the GLC and the Economic Committees met with Miqati at the Grand Serail then headed to Ain al-Tineh for talks with Speaker Nabih Berri.