Prime Minister Najib Miqati traveled to Bulgaria and Hungary on Sunday to discuss with officials ways to consolidate bilateral political and economic relations, his press office said.

Miqati will hold talks with his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borissov, Speaker Tsetska Tsacheva and Foreign Minister Nickolay Mladenov on Monday.

French President Francois Hollande warned on Sunday that Paris would prevent any attempt to undermine Lebanon's stability, advising political forces to join hands through dialogue to avert a further crisis.

“I would say to all those who can contribute to the stability of Lebanon to work through the spirit of dialogue,” Hollande said at a joint press conference with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace during a short trip to Beirut.

Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel defended the call of the March 14 opposition for the formation of a new government, saying the cabinet of Premier Najib Miqati collapsed at the national level.

“The current government collapsed nationally before its collapse constitutionally,” Gemayel told An Nahar daily published Sunday. “This collapse manifested through its birth, structure and performance.”

Prime Minister Najib Miqati's circles challenged a planned strike by the Syndicate Coordination Committee, saying the government is not ready to work under the pressure of protests in its attempt to find funding sources for a new salary scale for public sector employees.

In remarks to An Nahar daily published Sunday, Miqati's sources said: “We hope the cabinet would complete (on Wednesday) the discussion of the rest of the funding sources articles.”

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri informed French President Francois Hollande that the March 14 opposition alliance holds onto its decision to call for the formation of a neutral government to salvage Lebanon, An Nahar daily reported on Sunday, as the ex-PM attended a lunch banquet in honor of the French leader in Jeddah.

The newspaper quoted French sources as saying that Hariri sent a letter to Hollande on the eve of his short visit to Beirut on Sunday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that Israel is the “primary beneficiary” from the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Wissam al-Hasan to distract the public opinion to other matters.

“What will Syria benefit from killing him?” Salehi wondered in an interview expected to be published in the Kuwaiti al-Rai newspaper and the Qatari al-Watan newspapers on Saturday.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati's visit to Paris is still being discussed between Lebanese and French authorities after several local newspapers reported that the premier's visit to the French capital is being reconsidered due to French President Francois Hollande's “surprise” visit to Beirut on Sunday.

“No date has been scheduled yet to Miqati's visit to Paris,” the premier's office said on Saturday in comments to Naharnet.

The number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon has surged into more than 106,280, receiving aid through the efforts exerted by the Lebanese state and its U.N. and non-governmental organization partners, a weekly report issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees said on Saturday.

“Nearly 77,000 are currently registered at the UNHCR in addition to 30,000 refugees who are waiting to be registered,” the statement said.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel headed on Saturday to Italy to participate in the 81st Interpol General Assembly and to hold talks with his Italian counterpart Anna Maria Cancellieri, the Central News Agency reported.

“Lebanon's participation in this meeting will reinforce its presence internationally, its cooperation and ties with foreign countries,” Charbel said at the Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati questioned on Saturday the March 14-led opposition's decision to boycott parliament and government activity, wondering whether it was seeking to block the people's interests.

He said before his visitors: “Placing preconditions over resuming national dialogue, called for by President Michel Suleiman, means that some sides have clear intentions to take Lebanon towards further crises.”