"Things are moving ahead. There could be an agreement between tonight and tomorrow," Murr said, adding that differences remain on the makeup of the future government.

"We need a balanced, just and representative government," he said. “The number and proportional representation in the government continues to be the sticking issue” , he added

Murr said that Berri has overcome the issue of the constitutional amendment , but did not explain how .

The main problems that remain are the demands of General Michel Aoun, but according to Murr , Berri has contacted Aoun and was able to get his ok to eliminate his condition on the term of the president . Aoun wanted to reduce the term to 1 year and seven months while the constitution stipulates 6 years .

Postponing the parliamentary session has truly embarrassed French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has declared "Monday is really the last chance, and France calls on all parties, inside and outside, to ensure that Lebanon can have a president."

Sarkozy had threatened to isolate forces that block the election.

But Speaker Berri ridiculed the statement by Sarkozy when he said “ with all due respect to the French president , Monday will not be the last chance for electing a president . Obviously Berri echoed the Syrian position . Syrian VP Sharaa remarked last week about Syrian allies and the election of a president :
"Everyone now wants us to step in and pressure Aoun, Hezbollah, Berri, Wiam Wahhab, Osama Saad, Karami and Franjieh."

"They are all friends of Syria and they are better off now than they were when the Syrian forces were in Lebanon," Sharaa had said, adding that postponing the elections "is not the end of the world."

George Hawi a political analyst told Ya Libnan” Unfortunately we all have to pay a hefty price for involving Syria in the presidential elections . This was a major French strategic error . They obviously don’t understand the Syrian regime and therefore should have applied pressure on the regime rather than engaging it , because if you give them ( Syrians) an inch they want a mile “

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