Dutch Ambassador to Lebanon Hero de Boer stressed that justice must take its course on the national and international scenes regarding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

He told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Tuesday that the Netherlands cannot “make guesses over the release date of the indictment” in the investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri or over who will be accused in the crime “as these are matters that would severely affect our credibility.”

Premier-designate Najib Miqati’s circles accused Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri of holding Miqati responsible for his alliance’s boycott of the new cabinet at a time when Hariri had already made up his mind not to participate in the government.

The circles drew question marks over Hariri’s speech on Monday in which he said March 14 waited for answers from Miqati for a month over its demands on the international tribunal and arms.

As expected, the March 14 forces on Sunday officially announced their refusal to take part in the country's new government.

The March 14 forces "reject to legitimize the coup … and reject to turn into observers who cannot prevent violations," the coalition said in a statement recited by ex-PM Fouad Saniora after an extraordinary meeting for its 60 MPs at the Bristol Hotel in Beirut.

Premier-designate Najib Miqati stressed on Sunday that the participation of the March 14 forces in his government was “necessary” but said he would study with President Michel Suleiman other available options if the coalition decided to boycott the cabinet.

Miqati made his remark as he wrapped up a two-day visit to the northern port city of Tripoli. The prime minister-designate hadn’t visited his hometown since his nomination a month ago.

Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati announced that the new government is ready, but he is still pursuing negotiations because he does not want to cause a dispute with anyone, reported Al-Akhbar Saturday.

He added: “The reasons that drove me to run for the premiership are the same ones that are driving me to continue in my mission.”

House Speaker Nabih Berri noted on Friday that the March 14 camp’s announcement of its refusal to take part in Cabinet will facilitate and speed up Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s efforts to form the government, reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.

Furthermore, he questioned before his visitors on Friday the slowness in the government formation process seeing as the names of potential ministers all belong to one camp.

The 60 March 14 coalition MPs are preparing to hold a meeting at the Bristol Hotel on Sunday at 6:00 pm where they are expected to announce the camp’s final position on the participation in Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati’s government.

The daily An Nahar reported on Saturday that the MPs’ statement will confirm the camp’s refusal to participate in Miqati’s government “because he failed to grant it guarantees it had requested, as well as the blocking minority.”

MP Marwan Hamadeh revealed on Thursday that Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat was not under any threat when he voted for Najib Miqati to assume the position of prime minister-designate.

He told al-Balad French that Miqati is facing several hardships in the process of forming a new government, advising him to establish a technocratic Cabinet.

French diplomatic sources stressed on Monday that Paris has no problems with Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati “who had a successful run as prime minister in 2005.”

They told Akhbar al-Yawm news agency that Paris noted that some MPs were pressured to nominate Miqati to his position, “but it is awaiting what will come of the government formation and the establishment of the ministerial statement … in order to determine its position in these affairs.”

Political sources monitoring the formation of the new government revealed that the recent meeting Thursday night between Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati with Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil “has not overcome the several obstacles regarding FPM leader MP Michel Aoun’s demands over the new cabinet, including his demand for the interior ministry portfolio.”

They told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Saturday that House Speaker Nabih Berri had proposed that Aoun be granted the foreign ministry, while the speaker would assume the energy and defense ministries and the president would retain the interior ministry, but the suggestion was rejected.