U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams stressed the importance of forming the cabinet to confront several challenges including the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s upcoming indictment.

In an interview published in As Safir newspaper Wednesday, Williams warned of the dangers of a power vacuum if the formation of the cabinet takes more time.

The Synod of Maronite Bishops goes into retreat on Wednesday to elect the 77th church leader after Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir.

Bkirki’s doors will close at 6:00 pm. The bishops will pray and hear lectures until Friday when the actual electoral process begins.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Tuesday said he believes that there will be “another Cedar Revolution” in Lebanon on Sunday as “the first one did not achieve its objectives.”

In an interview on Future News television, Geagea also said he was convinced that “we can’t advance in any field with the presence of Hizbullah’s arms.”

Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed Tuesday that "there is no alternative to the State and its institutions."

"We shall struggle with all our strength for the success of the project of the State whatever the challenges and difficulties might be because there is no alternative to the State and its institutions, and we will spare no effort in this regard," Hariri said during a meeting at the Center House with Mustaqbal Movement delegations and Beiruti families.

The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday called for a massive turnout on the “6th anniversary of the Independence Uprising,” which will be commemorated on Sunday.

In a statement issued after its weekly meeting in Qureitem under ex-PM Fouad Saniora, the bloc said that participation in the rally commemorating the March 14 anniversary is “the best democratic means to express opinion in the face of the coup and attempts at imposing hegemony and a one-sided authority.”

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun criticized on Tuesday attacks against the Resistance’s weapons and the base political rhetoric in Lebanon “that is harming the national principles and the mutual respect between the sects.”

He said after the movement’s weekly meeting: “We are proud of the arms because they have preserved our dignity.”

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams stressed on Tuesday the importance of the new government respecting Lebanon’s international obligations.

He said after holding talks with caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri: “I told the Prime Minister that the United Nations expects the new government , once it is formed and irrespective of its composition, to meet the aspiration of all Lebanese people and to continue to respect Lebanon’s international obligations.”

Lebanese Basketball team Al-Riyadi seeks to move on to the Final round of West Asia basketball league when they meet Iranian team Mehram today at 6pm in Saeb Salam Hall.

Al-Riyadi is heading into the game with high spirits, despite the absence of their injured star Jean Abdel Nour.

Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri commended on Tuesday outgoing Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir’s positions on various national issues in Lebanon, describing him as “Lebanon’s conscience who always gave us advice on the country’s future.”

He said after holding a closed-door meeting with Sfeir at Bkirki: “The patriarch blessed the Taif Accord, opposed the civil war and led Lebanon to safety.”

Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated that the country’s defense strategy was settled in the policy statement of Caretaker PM Saad Hariri’s cabinet when it stressed the army-people-resistance formula.

In remarks to As Safir daily published Tuesday, Berri said the formula remains unchanged despite Hariri’s rejection to support it.