Excerpts from a conversation between Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri and false witness Mohammad Zuheir Siddiq broadcast on al-Jadid TV were reportedly leaked to the station after international investigators came under attack at a gynecologist's clinic in Beirut's southern suburbs in October.

An informed source told An Nahar daily that the attackers were able to snatch from the investigators a laptop that included Hariri's statements.

Washington reiterated support for Caretaker Premier Saad Hariri and its call on all Lebanese parties to exercise restraint and coordinate in finding a solution to the Lebanese crisis.

"The United States reiterates its call to all political factions to maintain calm and exercise restraint at this critical time," U.S. Ambassador Maura Connelly said in a statement following talks with Hariri at Center House.

Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri is seeking international support after Hizbullah brought down his government.

On Friday Hariri discussed the political turmoil in Lebanon with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

March 14 and March 8 are locked in a battle over the prime minister nomination: Hariri or no Hariri.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri can head the new government if he pledges to stop the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Al-Akhbar newspaper on Friday quoted a senior Opposition official as saying.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday announced that consultations on appointing a new prime minister would begin on Monday, following the collapse of the national unity government.

"Consultations with parliamentarians will begin Monday at 12:00 p.m.," Berri said after talks with President Michel Suleiman at the Baabda Palace, adding that "the meeting was very good."

Damascus visitors have stressed that Syria hasn't made any commitment to Premier Saad Hariri, saying the prime minister was asked to make a bold move to guarantee the success of the Syrian-Saudi mediation.

Following Hariri's step forward, the March 8 forces would make similar steps that would lead to the consolidation of the Lebanese interior against the indictment that will be issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the visitors told As Safir daily in remarks published Tuesday.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy held separate talks with Saudi King Abdullah and Premier Saad Hariri in New York on Monday following a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington.

Al-Liwaa daily said that Sarkozy and Hariri reviewed agreements they had reached since their last meeting on November 30 at the Elysee Palace.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon added his backing to the work of a U.N. tribunal investigating the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, in a meeting with his son, current premier Saad Hariri.

During the one-hour meeting in New York on Sunday, Hariri urged Ban to increase pressure on Israel to end all violations of Lebanese borders, and to help prevent it from exploiting underwater oil and gas.

The Saudi-Syrian agreement on consolidating stability in Lebanon was finalized a long time ago, before Saudi King Abdullah traveled to New York for treatment, Prime Minister Saad Hariri has said.

However, in an interview with pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat published Friday, Hariri said "steps and answers are required from others, not from us, and anything else is an attempt to sabotage the Saudi-Syrian efforts."

Prime Minister Saad Hariri traveled to Riyadh on Wednesday, the same day he returned from New York where he met with Saudi King Abdullah.

Hariri went to Saudi Arabia to spend the New Year with his family. A statement released by his press office said upon his arrival from the United States, the prime minister contacted President Michel Suleiman and discussed with him the current developments.