The Lebanese Forces condemned on Thursday the death of three Lebanese citizens who were killed by Syrian gunfire in the border area of Wadi Khaled, calling on the government to assume its responsibilities towards the people.

It said in a statement: “The government should also request an immediate clarification from the Syrian government over the incident.”

Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji stated on Thursday that the Lebanese should be united in averting any negative repercussions of regional developments on their country.

He said before a delegation from the Bekaa town of Arsal: “The army cooperates with all citizens equally and without being affected by the political situation.”

The Economic Committees hoped on Thursday that the government would retract its wage hike decree and return to the agreement that was reached between the Committees and the General Labor Confederation.

A delegation from the Committees held a meeting with Prime Minister Najib Miqati during which it lamented the politicization of the wage hike, slamming its “disregard for the historic agreement that was reached with the GLC.”

Syria's envoy to Beirut has urged the Lebanese government to prevent cross-border arms smuggling, saying the alleged trafficking was "complementary to terrorism.”

In an interview with the Hizbullah-run website al-Intiqad, Ali Abdul Karim Ali called on Lebanon to take "serious, strict measures to end arms smuggling from Lebanon into Syria and... not give in to international pressure."

Zuheir Arnaout seethed with anger as he surveyed the damage from a bomb that targeted his restaurant in Tyre, one of the few cities in southern Lebanon where alcohol is still tolerated.

"What is it they want? To stop people from drinking, from having a good time?" he demanded outside the popular "Tyros" restaurant on the scenic Mediterranean seafront.

A security committee is investigating an incident in which Syrian troops killed three Lebanese men after opening fire on their vehicle in the northern border area of Wadi Khaled, an army source said.

“A committee tasked with investigating the incident immediately began its work,” the source told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published Thursday.

The Higher Defense Council on Thursday stressed the prevention of arms smuggling in and out of Lebanon and called for controlling the security situation in border towns.

The HDC convened at Baabda palace to contain the repercussions of allegations that the al-Qaida terrorist network was operating in Lebanon. But it did not unveil details over the issue.

The implementation of a cabinet decision on the wage hike was on Wednesday postponed till next year after the Shura Council failed to issue its stance ahead of the last government session.

The cabinet convened at Baabda palace on Wednesday – its last session for this year - in the hopes that the Council would issue its decision ahead of the meeting. But the Council failed to do so and it was still not clear whether it would approve the wage boost or not.

Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya has denied allegations that the al-Qaida terrorist network was operating in Lebanon, but stressed that some extremists believe in Osama bin Laden’s thoughts.

The party’s politburo chief Omar al-Masri told An Nahar daily published Thursday that the reports about al-Qaida’s presence in Lebanon “are an old story.”

The ministerial committee tasked with following up the issue of oil and gas exploration on Wednesday referred the executive decrees prepared by the energy and water ministry to the government, which will discuss them in its January 4 session.

Briefing reporters after the committee’s meeting at the Grand Serail, Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil said: “I want to announce the good news to the Lebanese: the ministerial committees tasked with studying the oil decrees has reached an agreement and referred the decrees prepared by the energy ministry to the upcoming Jan. 4 cabinet session.”