A protocol picture marking the formation of Premier Fouad Saniora's government was taken Wednesday at the Republican Palace in suburban Baabda.

All 30 cabinet ministers dressed in white suits showed up for the photo-taking session, media reports said.

The cabinet later held its first session under President Michel Suleiman. The meeting lasted only 30 minutes.

Information Minister Tareq Mitri said after the session that the cabinet's first priority was agreement on a policy statement.

He said a committee comprising ministers Elias Skaff, Mohammed Shateh, Youssef Taqla, Jubran Bassil, Mohammed Fneish, Wael Abu Faour, Fawzi Salloukh, Nassib Lahoud and Tareq Mitri has been set up to draft the ministerial statement.

The committee agreed to meet on Thursday to discuss the issue.

Mitri said Suleiman briefed the cabinet on the Mediterranean summit, his talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad and Foreign Minister Walid Muallem's visit to Beirut "which is expected to take place soon."

"We have to abide by the government's decisions" no matter what our political affiliations are, Mitri quoted the president as saying.

Suleiman also said the ministers had to assume the responsibility of improving the functioning of state institutions.