The government approved a draft law on Friday to ban lawmakers from serving in the cabinet after a heated session over demands by the ministers loyal to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun to include the prime minister in the provisions.

The session was chaired by President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace.

Speaker Nabih Berri said that Lebanon is committed to disavow itself from any decision taken by the Arab Foreign Ministers in Cairo on Saturday over the Syrian turmoil.

“Lebanon supports implementing reforms (in Syria), the regime has to implement them and must be given the chance to do so to evade any negative repercussions,” Berri told As Safir newspaper on Friday.

President Michel Suleiman held separate talks on Wednesday with a number of security officials, urging them to intensify their efforts in maintaining Lebanon’s security given the current situation in the country, reported the daily An Nahar Thursday.

He held talks with General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi, Military Intelligence Director Edmond Fadel, and General Director of State Security George Qaraa.

Speaker Nabih Berri held a meeting on Wednesday with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace to discuss the possibility of the resumption of the dialogue between the Lebanese foes.

A presidential statement said Suleiman and Berri discussed the latest developments and ways to restart the all-party talks.

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Wednesday the need to draw a separation line between Lebanon’s commitment to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and its work.

In remarks to al-Liwaa daily, Suleiman said: “If there has been any flaw or mistake as happened with the case of the arrest of the four generals, then Lebanon should work on fixing that flaw.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea condemned on Tuesday the kidnapping of Syrian citizens in Lebanon, whether they oppose or support the Syrian regime.

He accused after holding talks with the Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin: “The Lebanese security authorities are complicit with the abductions and they seek to lure out the Syrian opposition members in order to deport them to Syria.”

The United Nations Security Council will have to “confront” the issue of the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon if the government fails to do so, reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.

A western diplomatic source told the daily that the Security Council has not reached that point yet.

Speaker Nabih Berri has not coordinated his call for dialogue with the Hizbullah leadership, revealed sources close to the party to the daily An Nahar Saturday.

They noted that it appears that Berri had taken it upon himself to issue the call for dialogue, “which he has the right to, especially since the region is witnessing several important developments.”

Speaker Nabih Berri revealed on Friday that he will once again propose to President Michel Suleiman the resumption of the national dialogue.

He told al-Manar television: “The dialogue is necessary for not just internal reasons, but external ones as well.”

Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated on Friday the call for dialogue between the Lebanese foes during the “critical” stage that the country and the region are passing through.

“The developments in Lebanon and the region require all the parties to join the national dialogue and this is what I informed (al-Mustaqbal bloc leader MP Fouad) Saniora,” Berri told An Nahar newspaper.