Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat reportedly said immediately after the end of the 2006 war between Israel and Hizbullah that if the Jewish state pulled out from occupied Lebanese territories, it would abolish an essential pressure point off the Shiite group.

Israel “is speeding up the withdrawal,” Jumblat said during a meeting dated August 15, 2006, according to a WikiLeaks cable published by al-Akhbar newspaper on Thursday.

The latest visits of Lebanese officials to Damascus to discuss the draft government lineup with the Assad regime will most likely help in the formation of the cabinet soon.

Syrian President Bashar Assad held talks with Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh on Wednesday. The Syrian leader also met with Premier-designate Najib Miqati’s brother Taha on Monday.

Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati reportedly presented his first draft cabinet lineup to President Michel Suleiman on Tuesday, a sign that the new government could be formed soon.

An Nahar daily and a source close to Miqati said in remarks published Wednesday that both officials discussed the draft lineup which is a mix of politicians and technocrats.

Caretaker Minister Ghazi Aridi confirmed on Tuesday that the meeting between National Struggle Front leader Walid Jumblat and Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun was a continuation to previous talks held between the two parties.

Jumblat’s meeting with Aoun “doesn’t necessarily mean that the cabinet will be formed,” Aridi told Voice of Mada radio station.

Premier-designate Najib Miqati has said contacts on the formation of the government are making progress and stressed all problems could be solved.

In remarks to As Safir newspaper published Tuesday, Miqati said: “The channels of contact are open in all directions and are making progress.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has stressed that there were no regional obstacles to the formation of the cabinet, saying his meeting with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun on Monday night came as part of the need to unify the vision of the March 8 camp.

“The meeting was excellent,” Jumblat said in remarks published by An Nahar daily on Tuesday. “It comes as part of necessary steps to unify the vision within the single team.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Monday held talks with Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun at the latter's residence in the North Metn neighborhood of Rabiyeh.

Aoun hosted dinner for Jumblat and the accompanying delegation which consisted of caretaker ministers Ghazi Aridi and Wael Abu Faour. Acting Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil was also present at the talks.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat praised on Monday the Lebanese army’s discovery of the Israeli spy system at Shamaa last week.

He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated Al-Anbaa magazine: “The discovery is new evidence that Lebanon is greatly exposed on the political and security levels.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat and MP Marwan Hamadeh have reportedly warned that Hizbullah would continue to attack Israel even if both parties reached a ceasefire.

According to a WikiLeaks cable published by al-Akhbar daily, Jumblat and Hamadeh told U.S. diplomats during a dinner on August 6, 2006 that Speaker Nabih Berri and Hizbullah should be pressured into accepting a ceasefire.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has denied that he had said Premier-designate Najib Miqati was being pressured by the U.S. through the Lebanese banking sector.

“I haven’t talked about any pressure over the banking issue” or other sectors, Jumblat told An Nahar daily in remarks published Monday after Hizbullah’s al-Manar TV quoted him as saying that Washington was pressuring Miqati by threatening to target banks in which he has shares.