British Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt on Monday called on the Lebanese to refrain from sending fighters to war-torn Syria, reiterating “the importance of international community support to Lebanon's disassociation policy.”

“As I discussed with Speaker (Nabih) Berri, President (Michel) Suleiman and the Army Commander (General Jean Qahwaji) today, I am pleased that we are, together, building Lebanon’s capacity to protect its sovereignty,” Burt said after talks with Berri in Ain al-Tineh.

President Michel Suleiman ordered on Monday stronger measures to preserve security and stability in northern Lebanon a day after three men were killed in clashes over a clampdown on illegal construction.

“Suleiman followed up the security situation in the country in general and specifically the North and met at Baabda palace with caretaker Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn, Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji and the acting head of the Internal Security Forces, Gen. Roger Salem,” a presidential statement said.

French Ambassador to Lebanon Patrice Paoli called on the rival parties on Monday to reach consensus among each other as it is in the country's best interest, rejecting any interference claims in Lebanon's affairs.

“The government should be formed swiftly... It's a friendship message and not meddling (in Lebanon's affairs) as Lebanon should be united to confront all threats,” Paoli said in an interview with An Nahar newspaper.

The constitutional council is set to meet on Monday to appoint a rapporteur to draft a report on a challenge submitted by MP Walid Jumblat's National Struggle Front bloc over the suspension of the electoral deadlines set by the 1960 law.

The head of the 10-member council, Dr. Issam Suleiman, told An Nahar newspaper that the rapporteur has 10 days to submit his report.

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Monday that he will not call for a parliamentary session ahead of May 15 to discuss the electoral law, pointing out that lawmakers will have to act responsibly.

“I advise different groups not to waste their time... I will not call for a session to end the dispute over the electoral law ahead of the one set on May 15,” Berri told several newspapers published Monday.

President Michel Suleiman on Sunday called on “everyone” to abide by the Baabda Declaration in order to keep Lebanon stable amid the regional turmoil.

“Lebanon -- which is abiding by the Baabda Declaration … and dissociating itself from the conflicts of others, especially in Syria – urges everyone to abide by the content of this declaration to keep the country stable and safe from the negative repercussions of the events taking place in the region,” the president said during a meeting with Arab youth and sports ministers in Baabda.

Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel reiterated his rejection of the adoption of the 1960 parliamentary electoral law for the upcoming parliamentary elections, urging the need to head to parliament to subject the available laws to a vote, reported the daily An Nahar Sunday.

He told the daily: “Laws are available and one of them is bound to garner the greatest number of votes.”

Efforts to extend the term of the current parliament are beginning to emerge, reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.

Informed political sources told the daily that Speaker Nabih Berri and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat are leading these attempts in order to avoid a political vacuum in Lebanon given the failure to reach an agreement over a new parliamentary electoral law.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov hoped on Saturday that the unanimity on Tammam Salam's nomination would allow the premier-designate to quickly form the new government, warning against the prolongation of Syria's conflict and its repercussions on Lebanon.

“We hope that the unanimity on his nomination would reflect on the cabinet formation process and allow Salam to quickly form it,” Bogdanov told reporters in al-Msaitbeh after holding talks with the prime minister-designate.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov handed over on Friday to President Michel Suleiman a letter of support from his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Putin hailed in the letter to the efforts exerted by Suleiman to maintain stability in Lebanon, expressing support to the resumption of the all-party talks and to the dissociation policy adopted by the Lebanese government.