Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed in a statement he delivered at the Annual Arab Banking Conference on Friday that the economy should not be exploited to achieve political gains.

In his statement the PM stressed that Lebanon has achieved a slight growth rate despite the changes fanning out in the Arab world.

Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated on Tuesday the necessity to hold dialogue among political powers away from external alliances, and stressed that “efforts to solve the (country's) crisis are still blocked.”

In an interview with the al-Akhbar daily, Berri encouraged Lebanese factions to solve their own problems, criticizing the opposition March 14 alliance for boycotting the cabinet activities.

Dozens of protesters from the youth organizations of the March 14 forces on Sunday staged a sit-in outside the Grand Serail at the Riad al-Solh square in downtown Beirut, demanding the departure of the government and stressing that they will press on with their “confrontation.”

In a symbolic gesture, demonstrators assembled a giant-sized puzzle with the flag of the Independence Uprising on one side and the picture of slain Intelligence Bureau chief Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan on the other.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Tuesday that dialogue is the best means to unite and enforce Lebanon in light of the current dangerous regional conditions.

“We cannot solve national issues through stubbornness and arrogance, but through dialogue. We need to find common grounds on which all Lebanese meet in order to fortify our nation during this dangerous regional situation,” stressed Miqati before his visitors at the Grand Serail.

French President Francois Hollande stressed on Saturday his country's “full support” to Lebanon and its people, calling on them to put forward their country's interests above all else.

Hollande offered condolences to President Michel Suleiman over the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan on October 19 along with two others.

Arab and international stances on the current situation in Lebanon are likely to change soon becausereports received by most of these powers on the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan were “inaccurate”, a prominent source of the opposition March 14 alliance told the pan-Arab al-Hayat daily on Saturday.

“Most of these sides received inaccurate reports on the assassination," it said.

Efforts to resolve the political crisis sparked by last week's assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan continue to evade the various political forces, As Safir daily reported Friday.

As Arab and international concerns mounted over securing civil peace in Lebanon and warding off any negative repercussions of the Syria crisis on Lebanon, it was clear that there is Arab-international consensus to protect Lebanon from the crisis, encourage Lebanese factions to resume dialogue, and preserve the role of state institutions, sources close to the presidential palace in Baabda told the daily.

Differences emerged to the surface on Thursday among the parties affiliated in the March 14 opposition as the leadership of the Phalange party insists that boycotting the national dialogue table will lead to a deadlock in the country, local newspapers reported.

According to An Nahar newspaper, Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel backs the efforts exerted by President Michel Suleiman to push forward the date of the all-party talks, which is expected to resume on November 12.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton reiterated support to President Michel Suleiman's efforts to commence an urgent national dialogue session and avoid plunging Lebanon in a political vacuum following the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan, As Safir daily reported Wednesday.

Praising efforts to maintain stability and warning against political vacuum, she stressed to officials the importance of state institutions that continue to ensure security and provide services.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Tuesday stressed that he is doing what his conscience obligates him to do – “protecting Lebanon from political vacuum and divisions,” amid calls by the March 14 forces for him to resign.

“With my arrival in the holy city of Medina, I will start praying to God Almighty to protect Lebanon and the Lebanese from any evil,” Miqati said on the social networking website Twitter, after he arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj pilgrimage.