The partisan Ain al-Tineh gathering rejected on Friday Prime Minister-designate Omar Karami's decision to resign after he failed to form a national unity government, saying they "unanimously hold on to him as head of the anticipated cabinet." After the three-hour meeting, Speaker Nabih Berri said: "Karami told us of his willingness to give up as he has not managed to persuade the opposition to take part in a national unity government. But we want him to form a national unity government as soon as possible so that the parliamentary elections can be held." The Ain Al-Tineh gathering, which held its meeting at Berri's residence in Beirut, witnessed the participation of most of the pro-governmental factions in Lebanon, including Hizbullah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, with the noticeable absence of outgoing Agriculture Minister Elias Skaff.Leaving the meeting, Karami told reporters: "I will try to form a government." Karami was set to step down at a meeting on Wednesday with President Emile Lahoud, but the premier-designate delayed the move pending consultations with his political allies at the Ain Al-Tineh gathering, which joins the country's pro-governmental, pro-Syrian forces. Berri also said that the new government's focus will be on delivering a new electoral law based on the mohafaza (large electoral district) and not the qada (small electoral district) which is a major point of contention between the government and the opposition. Berri said: "We want an electoral law based on the Taif Accord, and the Taif Accord calls for the adoption of mohafaza as an electoral district. We will not agree on anything else."