President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati have voiced their support for Interior Minister Marwan Charbel’s proposal on the parliamentary electoral law, the minister told An Nahar in remarks published on Sunday.

Charbel made his statements after holding talks on Saturday afternoon with the president and premier on the various proposals on the electoral law.

The presidential palace and Grand Serail switched off their lights for Earth Hour on Saturday in a global effort to raise awareness about climate change.

The Baabda Palace said in a statement earlier that it will turn off lights for 60 minutes from 8:30 pm local time upon the recommendation of President Michel Suleiman.

President Michel Suleiman hailed the government for going back on track after approving plans to resolve the electricity crisis and calling for an audit on the 2006-2010 extra-budgetary spending.

“We could say that the cabinet’s productivity is on the right track…amid lack of tension” between its different members, Suleiman told As Safir daily published Saturday.

President Michel Suleiman is scheduled to hold talks with Premier Najib Miqati and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel on Saturday to discuss the electoral draft-law a year before the parliamentary polls.

The meeting was set for Saturday after Charbel asked the cabinet during its latest session to set its stance on the draft-law proposed by him and avoid procrastination, An Nahar daily said.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stressed Tehran’s continued support for Lebanon in a letter that the country’s visiting deputy foreign minister delivered to President Michel Suleiman on Friday.

The letter states “Iran’s permanent support for Lebanon in all fields and at all levels,” a presidential statement said.

President Michel Suleiman stated on Thursday that Lebanon is adopting positive neutrality regarding regional issues, except the Palestinian cause and the conflict with Israel.

He said at the opening of the Arab League summit in Baghdad: “Lebanon sought to distance itself from the Syrian developments and we hope that United Nations and Arab league envoy Kofi Annan would succeed in his mission to reach a political solution to the crisis.”

The cabinet has approved draft-laws to conduct an audit on extra-budgetary spending made between 2006 and 2010 by the governments of ex-Premiers Fouad Saniora and Saad Hariri.

The approval came during an eight-hour session held at Baabda Palace under President Michel Suleiman which also witnessed a solution to the controversial electricity plan.

British Ambassador Tom Fletcher on Monday hailed the Lebanese authorities’ efforts to maintain stability in the country by preventing any repercussions of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon.

Fletcher held a meeting with President Michel Suleiman on Wednesday at the Baabda Palace and discussed bilateral ties, the developments in the region, and the Arab League summit expected to be held in Baghdad on March 29.

The appointment of the head of the Higher Judicial Council is still a point of contention between Lebanese officials as President Michel Suleiman confirmed that the candidate proposed by Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi will not be suggested before the cabinet during its session on Wednesday.

“The candidate suggested by Qortbawi concerning the head of the HJC will not be discussed during the cabinet meeting,” Suleiman told An Nahar newspaper.

The army intercepted two vehicles carrying arms in the Bekaa border town of al-Qaa and detained four Lebanese and six Syrian nationals, local newspapers reported on Wednesday.

An Nahar daily said that the army discovered a van and a pickup truck that were carrying arms and confiscated a number of machine guns, grenades, and a grad rocket.