Lebanon’s parliament speaker on Friday, Nov 24, dismissed his call for a plenary legislative session to receive Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan during the latter’s upcoming trip to Lebanon.

“Due to the [absence] of several ministers and MPs who are currently in the Vatican to participate in the ordination of Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai as a cardinal, Berri dismissed the call for a plenary session to receive the President of Armenia,” a statement released by Nabih Berri’s office read, according to Now Lebanon.

However, Berri invited all the MPs and ministers for a luncheon in honor of Sargsyan on the same day the session was supposed to be held.

Parliamentary work in Lebanon has been disrupted since the opposition March 14 coalition announced that it would cut all ties with the current government, including meetings held by parliamentary committees to discuss proposals transferred by the cabinet.

The boycott decision followed the assassination of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces intelligence chief Wissam al-Hassan on Oct 19 in Beirut’s Ashrafieh.

The session was scheduled for Nov 27.