Former Defense Minister Albert Mansour, who proposed the idea of heading a transitional government personally to Suleiman, told The Daily Star that the army chief agreed to lead such a cabinet in the event a new president is not agreed upon.

"Such a government would be in keeping with established practice, which is for a president to hand over power to a Maronite prime minister. It happened twice before," Mansour said.

He said being appointed prime minister of a transitional government would allow Suleiman to bypass constitutional requirements that prevent grade-one civil servants like Suleiman from being elected to the presidency while still in their post or within two years of their resignation.

According to the constitution the president should be a Christian Maronite, The speaker of the parliament a Muslim Shiite and the prime minister a Muslim Sunnite.

A visit by Suleiman to Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir last week took on a great significance.

Suleiman on Monday stressed that "I will stay in my post as commander of the army until a new president is elected and a new government is formed."

"Is it possible to leave command of this ship while it is facing such high waves?" Suleiman asked.

He expressed hope that Lebanese leaders would return to applying the "spirit and text" of the Taif Accord.

Suleiman also hoped that the leaders would make "reciprocal concessions."

Pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud has been threatening to form another government if the anti-Syrian March 14 alliance does not agree to a government of national unity , in which the opposition is demanding veto rights.

In his speech in Beiteddine on Monday , MP Walid Jumblatt said any March 14 leader who agrees to make concessions to the pro-Syrian alliance will be considered a traitor.

Sources: Naharnet, Ya Libnan