Education Minister Hassan Mneimneh said the success of the Saudi-Syrian initiative requires "guarantees by some regional and international countries that have direct influence on developments in the region."

Mneimneh told the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa daily that the initiative requires a lot of efforts to succeed and such guarantees have not been made yet "because Iran and the United States are using the settlement to make gains on each other."

Central Bank governor Riyad Salameh appeased fears over monetary stability in 2011 and said economic growth will be within the limits expected.

"There is no fear this year over the currently balanced monetary stability," Salameh told As Safir newspaper in remarks published Monday.

Speaker Nabih Berri described the country's political situation as "worn-out" but said January will be decisive on the crisis over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

"January is the month of decisiveness on the crisis over the international tribunal," Berri told An Nahar and As Safir newspapers in remarks published Monday.

Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar stressed on Thursday that there won't be any vacuum in the presidency of the Higher Judicial Council after Judge Ghaleb Ghanem's retirement.

"There won't be any vacuum in the presidency of the Higher Judicial Council. General Prosecutor Said Mirza will play his role," Najjar told a delegation from the council during a farewell visit to Ghanem.

Iranian ambassador Gazanfar Roknabadi reiterated Thursday that Tehran welcomes any initiative aimed at ending the Lebanese crisis and denied the Islamic Republic had details of Syrian-Saudi efforts to reach a settlement.

"I have previously announced the stance of the Islamic Republic from the initiative," Roknabadi said in response to a question after meeting with Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut Elias Audi.

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir on Thursday expressed concern over the mass emigration of Christians in search for security and hoped the New Year would bring peace to Lebanon and the Middle East.

In a statement to a delegation from the Maronite League Council headed by Dr. Joseph Tarabay, Sfeir said: "The emigration of Christians from the region has increased."

High-ranking Lebanese army officials accused the United Nations and UNIFIL of dereliction in delineating Lebanon's maritime borders with Israel.

The sources told As Safir daily that the Lebanese government handed over maps and documents on the delineation of the border to the U.N., which hasn't made a single move.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat urged the Lebanese government to file a complaint with the U.N. if Israel seizes natural gas from Lebanese territorial waters.

Jumblat told As Safir newspaper in remarks published Thursday that any Israeli attempt to explore oil from disputed sea areas is a clear violation of all agreements and international resolutions.

Speaker Nabih Berri said Lebanon should immediately issue decrees for the implementation of the oil law adopted by parliament and pressure the U.N. to delineate the country's sea borders with Israel.

Berri made his remark to As Safir newspaper on Thursday after the largest reserve of natural gas, over 16 trillion cubic feet, was discovered off the coast of Israel.

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.