The cabinet has so far not included the wage hike on the agenda of a session on Tuesday as it is expected to postpone the matter to next week amid reports of consensus between parties to resolve the issue.

“A settlement emerged as (Free Patriotic Movement MP) Michel Aoun agreed on Monday to find a deal that satisfies employers, employees and Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas,” sources told An Nahar newspaper on Tuesday.

Lebanese officials are seeking to coordinate their stances ahead of U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon’s visit to Beirut on Friday to avoid tarnishing Lebanon’s image, informed sources said.

The sources told An Nahar daily on Tuesday that consultations are underway between major political forces led by Hizbullah to agree on the broad Lebanese stance on several controversial issues that could be discussed by Ban and the Lebanese officials.

The cabinet on Tuesday evening confirmed media reports circulated earlier in the day, postponing the discussion of appointing a secretary general and a political affairs director for the foreign ministry.

Briefing reporters after a cabinet session, acting information minister Wael Abu Faour said the debate was postponed “at the request of Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour, so that all diplomatic appointments take place as one batch.”

Speaker Nabih Berri stated on Monday that Imam Moussa al-Sadr was the first individual to speak of Lebanon’s possible oil and gas wealth.

He said before his visitors: “The oil file will be the first topic of discussion with U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon during his upcoming trip to Lebanon on Friday.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat accused on Monday officials in Lebanon of resorting to claiming that the al-Qaida terrorist group had infiltrated in order to serve their interests.

He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine: “The stupidity of those individuals did not take into account the sensitivity of the situation in the region when they said that al-Qaida had entered the town of Arsal.”

President Michel Suleiman on Monday said “it is normal for the cities and villages to be free of weapons,” noting that an “arms-free Beirut” could become an example for other regions to follow.

“This requires a positive collective willpower that facilitates the work of the security forces,” Suleiman said during talks with a delegation of Beirut MPs that visited him to discuss the issue of removing weapons from the capital.

Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel criticized on Monday the Syrian army’s infiltration of Lebanese territories, calling on the Defense Ministry and Lebanese army to fulfill their duties in confronting the violations.

He said: “The army should perform its constitutional and legal responsibilities towards the Lebanese people and immediately open fire at any foreign soldier who crosses into the country.”

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stated on Monday that the possession of arms outside the state’s authority is unacceptable, reported Voice of Lebanon radio.

He said before reporters: “The time when Hizbullah lays down its arms would be a great day.”

Mustaqbal bloc MPs Hadi Hbeish and Jamal al-Jarrah accused on Monday the Free Patriotic Movement of misleading the public over former Premier Fouad Saniora’s alleged financial violations in the national lottery in 1996.

They said in a press conference to refute the movement’s claims: “FPM leader MP Michel Aoun has no right to speak of squandering public funds because those who have a history in such affairs are not entitled to accuse others of such crimes.”

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on Monday that reports that he had escaped an assassination attempt were only news broadcasted through BlackBerry phones.

He said on Twitter that he will not “give any more information” about those allegations.