Senior Lebanese and Israeli military officials held a meeting on Thursday in Ras al-Naqoura under the supervision of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

UNIFIL Commander Maj.-Gen. Paolo Serra headed the meeting intended to boost security measures along the Blue Line and to halt any violations by both parties.

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon spokesman Neeraj Singh revealed on Tuesday that Israel will perform maintenance operations along the technical border fence in the Aitaroun region in Bint Jbeil, reported the National News Agency.

He added that Israel informed UNIFIL of its measures and that the international troops had in turn relayed the message to the Lebanese army.

U.S. State Department special coordinator on Middle East affairs Frederick Hof’s brief visit to Lebanon focused on Lebanon’s oil and gas wealth and its attempts to drill for them in the Mediterranean, political sources told the Central News Agency on Friday.

They added that he was impressed by Lebanon’s thorough evaluation of the file, especially the army’s assessment of the issue, which it supported with all the necessary documents.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati ruled out on Monday the return of political assassinations in Lebanon, saying that any leads in this matter are being tackled by the concerned security authorities.

He told LBC television that will be broadcast later on Monday: “Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare informed me that he will release an updated version of the indictment in the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri.”

Prime Minister Najib Miqati expressed confidence on Saturday that the army will be able to restore order in the northern coastal city of Tripoli, Praising the Lebanese-French bilateral relation after a meeting with French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe.

“The Lebanese army will be able to play its role; we have confidence in its leadership. I contacted army commander General Jean Qahwaji and I am confident that the army will restore order (in Tripoli),” Miqati told reporters in the French capital Paris.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati arrived to France on Thursday on a three-day visit to meet with senior officials amid a cabinet crisis locally.

Miqati prepared answers to specific French questions concerning protecting the refugees and the free Syrian Army, LBC reported.

Sources close to Prime Minister Najib Miqati have denied that the PM’s visit to Paris this week is a “prize” for his decision to fund the controversial Special Tribunal for Lebanon that will try ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s suspected assassins.

In remarks to An Nahar daily published Tuesday, the sources said Miqati rejects for his visit to be described as a “prize” over his decision in November to pay Lebanon’s share to the STL through the Higher Relief Council.

France will not be subject to intimidation or blackmail regarding its troops in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Monday.

French sources told the daily: “France is committed to UNIFIL and the implementation of U.N. Security Council resolution 1701.”

Prime Minister Najib Miqati is expected to head to Paris in February with a packed agenda as he will meet with President Nicolas Sarkozy and PM Francois Fillon during his three-day visit.

“France has always played a centrist role concerning Arab issues, because it understands the region through its relations with Lebanon… we should remain a key knot between the Arabs and France,” sources following up the visit told As Safir newspaper on Tuesday.

Outgoing United Nations Interim Force Commander Major General Alberto Asarta stated on Saturday that the security situation in southern Lebanon had improved greatly five years after the release of U.N. Security Council resolution 1701.

“More than five years after adoption of the resolution, conditions on the ground have significantly improved, the cessation of hostilities and respect for the Blue Line have been generally upheld by the parties (Lebanon and Israel),” Asarta said during a farewell transfer of power ceremony in the South.