The March 14 General Secretariat condemned on Wednesday the Syrian army’s recent incursions into Lebanese territory, demanding that the parliamentary defense council convene with the defense minister and army command to tackle the affair.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “Syria’s violations should be brought up before all Arab and international forums.”

A meeting was held on Tuesday between Christian and Muslim figures at the residence of former MP Mikhael al-Daher in response to the “Lady of the Mountain” meeting that is scheduled to be held on Oct. 23.

The meeting was held in the presence of former Ministers and MPs from the tenure of ex-Presidents Emile Lahoud and Elias al-Hrawi.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stated on Wednesday that an agreement must be reached over Hizbullah’s possession of arms, reiterating past statements that it is not normal for one Lebanese political group to possess weapons and be part of cabinet and parliament.

He said: “Some sides interpreted these remarks as a sign that I support the party’s positions, but all I wanted to say is that the international community is also responsible for this issue as Hizbullah’s arms are not only a Lebanese matter, but an international one.”

The head of the Beirut Merchant Association Nicolas Shammas said Wednesday that the private sector would adopt a tough response to a government approval to boost wages.

Representatives of the public sector are scheduled to hold a meeting at 3:00 pm to voice their outrage at the wage increase over fears that companies will have to lay off workers and even shut down their businesses.

Internal Security forces thwarted on Wednesday an attempt by six prisoners to flee from Amyoun prison in Koura, north Lebanon, the National News Agency reported.

Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) said that the inmates held cellular phones and the prison cells keys’ before the ISF and the prison wardens obstructed their attempt.

The Internal Security Forces thwarted an attempt to smuggle 3 kilograms of narcotic pills from Rafik Hariri International Airport to Qatar, the National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

It said ISF officers searched the bag of a traveler which it identified only with his initials as A.B. when they felt suspicious about him.

The Syrian army seized arms and ammunition hidden in two vehicles for the purpose of smuggling them from Lebanon into Syria, As Safir newspaper reported on Wednesday.

A Lebanese security source told the daily “Syrian forces seized arms, explosives and night vision goggles from two cars on their way to Homs and Tartous.”

Iran has informed Hizbullah that it would have to cut down its yearly financial support for the party, informed Gulf sources told the Kuwaiti al-Qabas newspaper on Wednesday.

The sources estimated that Tehran sends annually 350 million dollars to Hizbullah. That amount is spent on the salaries of party members, the families of martyrs and the group’s projects in the South, the Bekaa and Beirut’s southern suburbs, they told the daily.

General Labor Confederation chief Ghassan Ghosn expressed regret on Wednesday that the government failed to raise the wages of workers earning more than LL1.8 million.

In remarks to local radio stations, Ghosn said: “We were asking for a boost in all wages, particularly for those earning more than LL1.8 million.”

The Lebanese Army Intelligence arrested a man after doctors at a Beirut hospital found a spying device planted in his belly, As Safir daily reported on Wednesday.

As Safir said that H.M. was admitted to hospital after falling ill. When the doctors ran a check-up on him, they found the electric device.