Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri reportedly dismissed plans to step back from his mission to form a cabinet, with sources expecting him to accelerate contacts with Maronite Patriarch Beshara el-Rahi and Speaker Nabih Berri on the government impasse, the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa e-magazine reported Saturday.

Baabda is reportedly awaiting PM-designate Saad Hariri to return from an official trip abroad in order for the stalled talks on a government formation to “resume”, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri said after meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican on Thursday, that the Pope is willing to visit Lebanon but after Lebanese leaders form a government, noting that parties obstructing the formation “are known to the Vatican.”

“The Pope wants to visit Lebanon but after a government is formed. This is an important message for us to speed the government formation. The Pope perceives Lebanon as a message of mederation,” said Hariri in remarks to reporters after his meeting with the Pope.

Pope Francis met Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican where talks highlighted the role that the Vatican can play to help Lebanon, the press office of Hariri said in a statement on Thursday.

Discussions highlighted “Lebanon’s historic relations with the Holy See, and the role that the Vatican can play to help Lebanon face its crises,” added the statement.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri concluded his visit to Russia Friday by meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow, Hariri’s press office said in a statement.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri received an invitation from his Russian counterpart to visit Moscow, Hariri’s press office said in a statement.

Speaker Nabih Berri has reportedly dispatched a delegate to the Center House in the evening on Tuesday, to explain his initiative to PM-designate Saad Hariri in a bid to ease the government formation deadlock, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri visited Bkirki on Thursday evening and discussed the controversial government formation with Patriarch Beshara el-Rahi.

The Presidency General Directorate issued a statement on Thursday setting an appointment for PM-designate Saad Hariri to visit Baabda Palace and discuss the cabinet formation with President Michel Aoun.

PM-designate Saad Hariri will visit Baabda Palace on Thursday after an argument with President Michel Aoun over the government formation, al-Mustaqbal Movement official and former MP Moustafa Allouch said.