Sarkozy said he welcomed "this excellent news" and said the new government "meets the aspirations of the Lebanese people."
"Your government will be responsible for carrying out the reforms which are much anticipated by the people of Lebanon as well as the international community," he wrote.
In a separate statement French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said : "Saad Hariri and his government can count on the resolute support of France, which will continue its actions in favor of unity and stability, and the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon,"
Similarly U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon welcomed the formation of the Lebanese cabinet.
“The Secretary General expressed satisfaction that the Lebanese political leaders have been able to reach agreement on the formation of a cabinet," Ban's spokesman said in a statement, adding that he hopes Lebanese leaders will "work together in a spirit of unity, dialogue and cooperation."
"The Secretary-General calls on the new government of Lebanon to recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701," Ban's spokesman said.
"He also urges the new government to quickly take up the challenges that remain to consolidating both the sovereignty of Lebanon and the institutional capacity of the Lebanese state."
Italy which is the largest participant in the UNIFIL force also welcomed the formation of the new national unity government in Lebanon and said Prime Minister Saad Hariri will now be in charge of writing a new page of peace in the country's history.
The formation of the cabinet is a "very positive and encouraging news for the future of Lebanon and the entire Middle East," Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said in a statement on Monday.
The Lebanese people breathed a sigh of relief , that finally Lebanon has a new government , knowing that they cannot expect much from it anyway .
But something went wrong last night . The Phalange party is angry at PM Hariri and is threatening to pull out from March 14 alliance . Local reports said the Phalange party leader, former president Amin Gemayel may hold a press conference on Tuesday to officially announce that his party is pulling out from the parliamentary majority to protest Hariri's move that gave the Phalange the ministry of social affairs instead of the ministry of education , which they lobbied for
Michel Pharaoun, another March 14 member of the new cabinet is angry too. He wanted the ministry of information, but instead he got a ministry without portfolio. There were conflicting reports on whether he will show up or not for the photo opportunity at the Baabda palace this afternoon.
Hariri is aware of the challenges this government will face . He told reporters last night: "I want to be honest from the start: this government can be a chance to renew faith in the state and its institutions ... or it can turn into a replay of our failures " .
Next on the agenda is the cabinet policy statement . This too could take a long time to finalize
Wednesday
02:00 am A massive power failure threw Brazil's two largest cities into darkness Tuesday night along with other parts of Latin America's largest nation, affecting millions of people.
Tuesday
12:00 pm John Allen Muhammad, the mastermind of the 2002 deadly sniper rampage that terrorized the US capital, awaited execution here Tuesday evening.
9:11 pm PSP's Rami Rayyes told ANB: The Phalange party has to understand that it is not the only one that has reservations about the cabinet lineup
6:20 pm The White House issued a statement on Tuesday saying that no lasting solution in the region can be reached at the expense of Lebanon, which it described as playing a “key role” in achieving comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
5:55 pm Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki warned against regional intervention in Yemen, where Shiite rebels and Saudi troops have been engaged in fighting for the past week. "Those who add fuel to the fire must know that they will not be spared from the smoke that billows," he said.
4:50pm : Central News agency: Hariri explained to Gemayel the reasons behind his decision and at the same time he understood the Phalange party objections over the lineup . Gemayel promised to get back to hariri with a final decision after a meeting of the politboro tomorrow
4:33pm Assad will head to paris Friday and the Lebanese file will be on the agenda for discussions with Sarkozy without any restrictions
4:30 pm French FM spokesman: we are comfortable with the lineup of the new Lebanese cabinet
4:30 pm Israeli army commander Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi warned on Tuesday that Hezbollah is currently armed with thousands of missiles, some of which could reach the southern city of Dimona which houses Israel's secretive nuclear installations.
4:20 pm CNN: Security forces in southern Afghanistan seized a huge stash of bomb-making material, NATO's International Security Assistance Force reported Tuesday.
4:10 pm A car bomb tore through a commercial district in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday, killing at least 20 people, according to Pakistani news agencies, and offering a grim marker of the mounting violence around the northwestern part of the country
4:05pm Mitri quoting Hariri: This government was formed to work not for the installation of political barricades inside it.
4:00pm Information Minister Tarek Mitri after government's first meeting: President Suleiman urged speed in putting the government Policy Statement together based on the former government policy statement, president's oath address, and Hariri's speech.
4:00pm Minister Mitri: the committee that will assume the responsibility for the preparation of the ministerial statement was formed and includes the following ministers: Harb, Mitri, Fneish , Augasipian, Abu Faour, Baroud, Shami , Nahhas, Bassil , Haffar, Al-Sayegh, Saadeh will convene tomorrow its first meeting at the Grand Serail
3:55pm Assad congratulated Suleiman on forming a government of national unity and expressed his hope that will start a new page of prosperity and progress for the Lebanese people
3:30pm The meeting of Phalange Party's politburo was postponed till tomorrow's afternoon.
3:05pm The first session of Saad Hariri's government has started and it is being headed by President Michel Suleiman. Speaker Nabih Berri left the Baabda Palace after the protocol picture had been taken.
3:00pm All Cabinet ministers, except Phalange Party member Salim al-Sayegh, took part in a picture-taking session at Baabda Palace.
2:55pm The Phalange politburo meeting resumed after MP Oqab Saqr left Kataeb headquarters.
2:50pm President Michel Suleiman joined Hariri, Berri and Cabinet ministers for a picture-taking session at Baabda Palace in the absence of Social Affairs Minister Salim al-Sayegh.
2:39pm Minister Salim al-Sayegh didn’t arrive yet to Baabda to participate in the cabinet session.
2:38pm Hariri arrived at Baabda palace for the photo-taking session and the first cabinet meeting.
2:32pm A U.S. Congress delegation arrived in Beirut coming from Amman.
2:31pm The Hariri-Gemayel meeting ended and neither side made a statement to the press.
2:24pm MP Sami Gemayel and Minister Salim al-Sayegh joined the Hariri-Gemayel meeting.
2;22 pm : Hariri arrived at the Phalange party headquarters in Saifi to meet with former president Amin Gemayel
2:15pm Sejaan Azzi after the Phalange politburo meeting: We will resume our talks in the afternoon. We are not after any seat. Negotiations are ongoing and there are intensive contacts with Gemayel.
2:14 pm EU hails the formation of Lebanon’s national unity government
2:02pm Car accident on Safra highway in direction of Beirut results in bumper-to-bumper traffic on north and south-bound lanes
2:00pm Judge Saqr Saqr ordered the release of Francop ship as well as its captain and crew after completion of inspection.
1 :51 pm MP Fouad Siniora is presiding over a meeting of the Future bloc in Qoreitem
1:50pm The Phalange politburo resumed its meeting.
1:40pm The Democratic Party after a meeting of its politburo under Talal Arslan: We regret the method adopted in government formation and the exclusion of the party.
1:38pm VOL: A meeting is underway between Cabinet Minister Pharaon at Center House. Pharaon denied he will not participate in the photo opp at the Baabda palace .
1:30pm Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir received a telephone call from U.N. Special Envoy Terje Roed-Larsen, thanking him for his efforts for the sake of Lebanon.
1:15pm Kataeb meeting is over. Gemayel is expected to announce Phalange’s position on the Cabinet lineup.
12:05 MP Antoine Zahra: LF will not will support any decision the Kataeb takes
12:53pm Minister Youssef Saadeh told NBN: The position of a state minister is now more active since the Taef accord has given a special role to each state minister.
11:58 Labor Minister Boutros Harb met with the British ambassador who congratulated him on his new post.
11:20 Phalange leader Amin Gemayel is heading a meeting of the party’s politburo.
11:17 Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar told Future News: Each team is carrying out consultations on the policy statement. It will be the subject of discussion within the March 14 forces.
10:53 MP Oqab Saqr: The new cabinet opened a new page. President Michel Suleiman participated with PM Saad Hariri, the opposition and the majority in the government formation process.
10:41 LF leader Samir Geagea received phone calls form Ban’s envoy Terje Roed-Larsen and UAE FM Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed al-Nahyan who congratulated him on the formation of the Lebanese cabinet.
8:20 Finance Minister Raya Haffar al-Hassan told VOL: The trust hasn’t been given to me only. It has been given to all of Lebanon’s women to give them a new push to achieve their goals.
7:35 Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud told VOL: We will have a work plan to make the tourism sector productive year round. I don’t belong to any party but my way of thinking meets with the FPM.
7:31am Education Minister Hassan Mneimneh told VOL: I hope the cabinet would meet some of the demands of the Lebanese. I also hope the government would become a unity and reform cabinet.
Monday
0:18 am French president Sarkozy in congratulating Hariri : The Lebanese people are awaiting the reforms of this cabinet
00:10 am MTV: Kataeb party may accept the ministry of Social affairs but will probably withdraw from March 14 alliance
11:49pm president Suleiman called Amin Gemayel after learning that Sayegh, the kataeb party minister of social affairs may resign from the cabinet
10;41: Aoun : Hezbollah arms will not be a subject for discussion in the ministerial statement but will be dealt with during the dialogue talks
10:40 pm : The Kataeb party meeting continues at the Saifi headquarters to decide its position with regards to the new cabinet
10:32 : Aoun told al Jazeera : I feel comfortable with Hariri and we will cooperate for the sake of the nation and national unity
10:00 pm - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged Lebanon's new national unity government to fully implement Security Council resolution 1701
7:41 pm Speaker Berri leaves Baabda, cabinet lineup decree will be issued soon
7:28pm Speaker Nabih Berri joined the Suleiman-Hariri meeting in Baabda to participate in the talks about the cabinet lineup.
7:27pm Berri arrived at Baabda palace to be present during the announcement of the cabinet decree
7:13pm Al Manar : PM designate submits the cabinet line-up to president Suleiman
7:07 pm Harb: What I aspire to is to serve Lebanon
7:05pm NBN The ministry of displaced will be given to Imad Wakim of the LF and the ministry of culture goes to Michel Pharaon
7:03 pm NBN : Berri is on his way to Baabda palace
7:01 Hariri arrived at Baabda palace