BEIRUT, Lebanon - The ongoing political crisis is expected to be resolved in the near future as a result of behind-the-curtain Arab-Arab contacts although the local political arena appears shrouded with a complex dilemma.

According to reports, published on Saturday by local press, the regional-level contacts appeared tending toward a settlement to the crisis, marked with nearly a three-month-old demonstration by opposition activists in downtown Beirut and boycott of the cabinet by ministers representing the mainstream Shiite groups, Amal and Hezbollah.

As-Safir newspaper, citing Arab diplomatic sources, said the stalemate was expected to be broken as a result of a "detente" in Syrian-Saudi relations and intensive contacts among concerned Arab states.

Amal, Hezbollah, and their Christian and Druze allies, have been pressing for greater representation in the government of Fuad Al-Sniora, a member in the "14 March Movement" of the influential MP Saad Al-Hariri, son of the slain premier, Rafik Al-Hariri.

As-Safir quoted MP Ali Hassan Al-Khalil, political assistant of Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri, as saying, "I believe that regional powers are pushing for a political settlement in Lebanon" -- alluding to the regional contacts, that also involved Iran.

The daily An-Nahar indicated in a report that the stalemate was partly related to the disagreements on formation of an international tribunal to cross-examine assassination of Al-Hariri senior in 2005.

The opposition has threatened to launch "civil disobedience," said to involve absence of employees from work and refrain from paying utility services bills.

Ad-Diyar said in a report that the opposition was still pondering the possible disobedience, and forecast a breakthrough at the forthcoming Arab summit. -Kuna