Head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad defended on Thursday Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour's remarks on Syria Wednesday, saying that they adhere to the Lebanese government's policy of disassociation.

He said in a statement: “His statements accurately reflect Lebanon's official stance on Syria.”

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour pointed out on Thursday that his speech at a meeting of Arab foreign ministers held in Cairo was chosen carefully by him, stressing that he is keen to preserve Lebanon's best interest.

“I will not hesitate in saying my opinion frankly... If some officials have some matters they want to settle with me, then I'm ready,” Mansour told reporters after arriving at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International airport returning from Egypt.

Head of the Mustaqbal bloc MP Fouad Saniora and Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea stressed on Wednesday the need to hold the parliamentary elections on time, announced the LF in a statement Thursday.

It said that the two officials agreed that the “best electoral law at the moment is a hybrid law” that combines the winner-takes-all and proportional representation systems.

Military Examining Magistrate Fadi Sawan asked for the death penalty against a Hizbullah member in the attempted assassination of Batroun MP Butros Harb.

Sawan's request against Mahmoud al-Hayek, who hasn't surrendered to police, came in an indictment he issued Thursday.

Head of the Economic Committees Adnan Kassar stressed on Thursday the importance of preserving the ties between Lebanon and the Gulf states a day after the Gulf Cooperation Council expressed concern over the situation in the country.

“Any decision taken by the Gulf countries will have negative repercussions on Lebanon's economy and will affect the Lebanese expats in those countries,” Kassar said after holding talks with President Michel Suleiman at the Baabda Palace.

The trial of a Hizbullah member accused of preparing attacks on Israelis in Cyprus has concluded with final summations submitted to the court in writing.

The court then asked defense and prosecution lawyers to clarify specific parts of their summations, which weren't read out or made public Thursday. The court said it will render its verdict on March 21.

Israeli President Shimon Peres on Thursday urged the EU to brand Hizbullah a terrorist group, as failing to do so would only encourage it to expand its operations.

Peres said Hizbullah, which the EU has so far declined to put on a list of international terrorist groups, was now intervening directly in Syria against rebels opposed to President Bashar Assad and so was spreading its reach.

The Syndicate Coordination Committee slammed on Thursday the cabinet of Prime Minister Najib Miqati, vowing to continue its open-ended strike until the new wage scale is referred to the parliament.

“We will rise on Monday, students and teachers will unite in all schools,” head of Public Secondary School Education Teachers Association Hanna Gharib said during a protest near the tenders administration building in Beirut's Verdun area.

National Struggle Front leader MP Walid Jumblat assured that he will not wage the parliamentary elections under the controversial Orthodox Gathering draft-law, assuring that it's better for political parties to agree on a law that pleases all parties, the pan Arab Asharq al-Awsat daily reported Thursday.

In an interview with the daily, Jumblat disagreed with sayings that the Christian politicians in Lebanon made an unprecedented stance uniting on the Orthodox draft-law.

The Syrian head of a gang that steals copper wires from electricity cables in southern Lebanon was arrested and admitted to killing an old man in the town of Qana, the state-run National News Agency reported Thursday.

NNA said that the Syrian suspect Bassel al-Ahmed admitted to killing Moussa Badreddine in his shop along with several other suspects while robbing him.