President Michel Suleiman hailed on Saturday Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi and the head of Police Intelligence, Col. Wissam al-Hassan, for “warding off the danger threatening Lebanon.”

His comment came during talks with Rifi and al-Hassan at Beiteddine palace.

President Michel Suleiman does not intend to postpone a national dialogue session next week if the March 14 opposition coalition boycotts it for the second time in a row, An Nahar daily reported Saturday.

The newspaper said the session will be held on Thursday at Beiteddine palace whether March 14 officials attend or not but Suleiman would not brief the conferees on his view of the country’s defense strategy in case of another boycott.

President Michel Suleiman on Friday visited Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat at the al-Mukhtara palace, days after the Druze leader rejected the draft electoral law adopted by the government.

The two-hour meeting tackled the general political situations and was followed by a dinner banquet, according to state-run National News Agency. It was attended by Jumblat’s son Taimour and ministers Ghazi Aridi, Alaeddine Terro and Wael Abu Faour.

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Thursday that he is committed to proportional representation for the parliamentary electoral law, saying that the majority of the Lebanese supported this proposal.

He hoped that parliament would address the possibility of adopting small electoral districts during the elections “in order to garner the support of as many sides as possible.”

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri slammed on Tuesday the new parliamentary electoral law, stressing that it will not be approved at parliament.

He said in a statement: “The least that can be said of the law is that it is directed against more than half of the Lebanese people and we reject it.”

Cabinet approved on Tuesday a parliamentary electoral law based on proportional representation.

The draft law was subject to a vote at cabinet, enjoying the support of all ministers except those of the National Struggle Front, announced acting Information Minister Wael Abou Faour after the session, which was held at the Baabda Palace and headed by President Michel Suleiman.

A ministerial committee set up to resolve the problem of cannabis farmers in the eastern Bekaa valley will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said.

Charbel told An Nahar daily that a solution to the cannabis fields mainly in Bekaa’s north is now in the hands of the committee that will discuss a development plan for the Baalbek-Hermel area during its meeting under Prime Minister Najib Miqati at the Grand Serail.

Top Iranian official Saeed Jalili called on Monday for intense consultations between Tehran and Beirut to preserve stability and security in the region.

“We should work together through the intense consultations and exchange of viewpoints in the service of the Islamic nation and the interest of the countries and peoples in the region,” Jalili, who is the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said at Beirut airport.

Cabinet agreed on Monday to form of a committee to study the development of areas in the northern Bekaa without approving any compensation to cannabis farmers.

The ministers also agreed to postpone discussions on the parliamentary electoral law to a cabinet session on Tuesday.

President Michel Suleiman is continuing his consultations to resume the national dialogue on August 16 as he is seeking to ensure that all participants are present at the all-party talks, reported the daily al-Mustaqbal on Sunday.

Sources close to the president highlighted the need to resume the talks amid the critical local and regional situation.