Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat had recently suggested the addition of ex-MP Salah Honein to the list of the proposed presidential candidates, but Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil rejected the suggestion, seeing as Honein’s nomination would “provoke” Hezbollah, a media report said.

“Jumblat then agreed to (Jihad) Azour’s nomination and asked his bloc to vote for him, but he told the bloc’s members that he would await the decision of the Christian blocs,” al-Akhbar newspaper quoted informed sources as saying in remarks published Thursday.

On a gentle slope looking out over Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, villagers work their way across pink-dotted terraces, gathering perfumed Damask roses that are used for essential oils, sweets and cosmetics.

The rose harvest "gives you a bit of hope, it makes things beautiful, it calms you down -- it gives you strength to carry on", said Leila al-Dirani, picking the flowers from her family's land in the village of Qsarnaba.

There will be no solution and no aid for Lebanon before reforms are carried out, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said.

Mikati told Saudi al-Riyadh daily, in remarks published Thursday, that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has told him that Saudi Arabia will support Lebanon on the condition that it implement reforms, elect a new president, and take all measures to prevent any action that would harm the Saudis, like drug smuggling.

Despite all the pessimism and conflicting reports in Beirut, the issue of the Lebanese presidency has been settled by the influential foreign forces, a media report said on Wednesday.

“They are now discussing the government and its shape and line-up,” ad-Diyar newspaper quoted unnamed sources as saying.

Kataeb Party chief Sami Gemayel stressed Wednesday that it is important to speed up the election but not to surrender to Hezbollah's candidate.

"We will not give up," Gemayel said, adding that he will boycott any session that would elect Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh. "We will secure the blocking one-third in such an electoral session."

Sources close to the Shiite Duo have ruled out a presidential agreement between the opposition and Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil, seeing as such a deal would come at the expense of the latter’s relation with Hezbollah.

“Should the FPM leader decide to agree with (Lebanese Forces chief Samir) Geagea and his allies over a common candidate, be him Jihad Azour or someone else, that will lead to severing the last fine thread that is still linking him to Hezbollah,” the sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper in remarks published Wednesday.

Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib met Wednesday with his Syrian counterpart Faisal al-Miqdad on the sidelines of the Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Jeddah.

"The meeting was cordial," al-Miqdad said, adding that all refugees are welcome back to Syria and should return.

Maronite Patriarch Beshra al-Rahi has received an official invitation to Paris to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron, Bkerki's spokesperson Walid Ghayyad said.

Ghayyad told MTV that the date of the visit has not yet been set.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri met Wednesday in Ain el-Tineh over the upcoming Arab League Summit in Jeddah.

"We discussed the points that I will raise at the Summit," Mikati said. "The meeting, like usual, was positive," he added.

Ex-minister Jihad Azour has refused to be a “confrontation” presidential candidate, a media report said on Wednesday.

“He has informed the relevant parties that he will not accept to be elected except through consensus and that success should be guaranteed,” al-Akhbar newspaper reported.