Syrian President Bashar Assad said he was pleased with the “smooth transition” between the two Lebanese governments, unveiling that any conflict would have evolved into civil war in Lebanon.

"What pleases me is that this transition between the two governments happened smoothly, because we were worried," Assad told The Wall Street Journal in a rare interview published Monday.

Premier-designate Najib Miqati might not form his government before the 6th anniversary of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination, media reports said Monday.

Political circles following up the contacts on cabinet formation ruled out in remarks to An Nahar daily a final government line-up before mid February.

Europe's foreign ministers are expected on Monday to stress the importance of funding the international tribunal and express readiness to look into ways to support it financially.

An Nahar daily said the European External Action Service (EEAS) would call in its statement for the formation of a Lebanese government that preserves national unity.

Speaker Nabih Berri snapped back at former Premier Saad Hariri on Monday rejecting accusations that Syria and Iran have brought down his government.

Hariri said Saturday that "enormous" pressure from outside Lebanon was to blame for the collapse of his cabinet earlier this month.

More than 200 people rallied outside the Egyptian embassy in Beirut on Sunday, calling for the resignation of embattled President Hosni Mubarak as protests in Egypt raged for a sixth straight day.

"Mubarak is an Israeli puppet," and "Gamal, tell your father that the Egyptian people hate him," protesters chanted during the student-led demonstration in Beirut.

The first Middle East Airlines plane carrying 170 Lebanese nationals who were evacuated from Egypt arrived in Beirut Sunday afternoon, state-run National News Agency reported.

It said MEA planned to make two more trips to Cairo tonight to bring home more Lebanese nationals wanting to leave Egypt.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said Sunday that the party’s political stances that were discussed during a general assembly meeting will be unveiled in a statement.

Talking to reporters following the meeting at the Beau Rivage hotel, Jumblat said: “There is nothing new to say. The results of the meeting will be announced in a statement.”

A prominent Arab-Israeli human rights activist was sentenced to nine years in jail on Sunday after pleading guilty to spying for Hizbullah, an Israeli court official said.

Ameer Makhoul was convicted last October of espionage and aggravated espionage on the basis of a plea bargain in which the prosecution dropped a charge of assisting the enemy in time of war.

Prime Minister Designate Najib Miqati and the March 8 forces are making strong efforts to distribute portfolios among the alliance’s members excluding the March 14 forces, An Nahar daily reported Sunday.

The newspaper said that former Minister Naji Boustani would most likely have a portfolio from President Michel Suleiman’s share in the government. Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun is also seeking to bring back Jebran Bassil and Charbel Nahhas to the cabinet, it said.

Lebanon’s ambassador to Cairo Khaled Ziade has informed Caretaker Foreign Minister Ali al-Shami that Lebanese citizens in Egypt were unhurt following violent demonstrations against the Mubarak regime.

Shami’s office said in a statement that the Caretaker foreign minister was following up closely the situation of the Lebanese community in Egypt.