"Demands for a blocking-third or proportional representation in the next Cabinet go against Lebanese democracy and push for sectarian federalism in Lebanon," he said

Gemayel had told the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Siyassah in comments published on Tuesday that the opposition's insistence on being granted the obstructing-third vote in the new cabinet was "suspicious."

He added that he suspected that the veto power would be used in all decisions related to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Meanwhile, meetings on Tuesday between figures from the parliamentary majority and the opposition revived hopes for swift formation of the cabinet.

Following talks with Speaker Nabih Berri, Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader MP Walid Jumblatt said the formation of Lebanon's government "heralded Arab solidarity and reconciliation, namely Saudi-Syrian reconciliation."

He added that Arab rapprochement had "positive repercussions" on the situation in Lebanon.

Public Works and Transport Minister Ghazi al-Aridi accompanied Jumblatt to Berri's residence in Ain al-Tineh.

"We have to keep in mind that the Syrian army has left Lebanon and that there is a strategic formula that was put in place called the Taif Accord and the truce with Israel," he said.

Jumblatt said Berri very "positive and cooperative" concerning the government formation process "aside from specific details that should be discussed between Parliament speaker and the prime minister-designate."

When asked by reporters whether he was welcome in Damascus, Jumblatt said: "I will handle the matter my way."

"I will make up my mind following [Prime Minister-designate Saad] Hariri's visit and following a reconciliation under the framework of the Taif Accord," Jumblatt said.

Jumblatt had met his rival pro-Syrian former minister Wiam Wahhab for the first time in almost four years. Media reports on Tuesday said the meeting, which took place at Jumblatt's residence in the Beirut district of Clemenceau was held at 7 p.m. on Monday.

A PSP statement on Tuesday said the meeting was part of Jumblatt's attempts to hold dialogue with various groups.

The statement added that the meeting of the two Druze figures was aimed at "turning the page on the past."

Also on Tuesday, Telecommunications Minister Gebran Bassil met with Premier-designate Hariri on Tuesday to discuss the cabinet formation.

Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader MP Michel Aoun's envoy described the meeting as a "positive one."

He stressed that proportional representation within the next government, "does not run contrary to the Constitution, but rather prevents monopoly over decision-making in the cabinet."

Aoun demanded that each group be proportionally represented in the next Cabinet according to its size in Parliament.

Bassil said that the cabinet formation consultations were "on the right track." He added that he provided Hariri with a "detailed explanation" on the concept of proportional representation the FPM was seeking.

Meanwhile, political adviser of Hizbullah's secretary general Hussein Khalil and the party's politburo member Wafiq Safa held talks on Tuesday with FPM leader Aoun in Rabieh

Following the meeting, Khalil said that the opposition has only two options to choose from, either to have "real and effective participation" in the government or to refrain from joining it altogether if the proposed cabinet formula does not grant the opposition coalition "a significant number of seats in the new cabinet."

"Those two options determine the path of our deliberations with Prime Minister-designate Hariri." Khalil also thanked all regional states willing to facilitate the cabinet formation, but stressed that the biggest effort must be made by the Lebanese.

In other news, President Michel Sleiman, accompanied by First Lady Wafaa Sleiman, arrived Sharm el-Sheikh on Tuesday to lead a Lebanese delegation, including Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, which begins on Wednesday and lasts for two days.

Salloukh, in turn, participated for the second day in the preparatory meetings in NAM's conference for Foreign Ministers, in which the summit's agenda was drafted.

The agenda included many clauses related to Lebanon, "which condemn, and support confronting, Israeli violations and threats against Lebanon," according to a statement held by the state-run National News Agency.

Salloukh also held meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, and head of the Syrian delegation Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad, to discuss recent developments on the regional scene.