Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat noted on Thursday that the “battles in Tripoli” will not affect the Syrian crisis, despite being linked to it.

He told the PSP website: “The Tripoli unrest is aimed at diverting attention from the Syrian crisis.”

Progressive Socialist Movement leader MP Walid Jumblat’s recent harsh criticism against Hizbullah has led people to believe that he may be returning to the March 14 camp fold, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Saturday.

It added however that the MP may have realized the severity of the current situation in Lebanon, which prompted him to return to the national dialogue and ease his rhetoric against Hizbullah.

The Progressive Socialist Party, Hizbullah and AMAL movement agreed to halt any attempt to spread the kidnapping of Syrian nationals to other areas in Lebanon, security sources told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Thursday.

The three parties exerted efforts on Wednesday to block the road on moving the abduction incidents to other regions in the country, denying that Syrian nationals were being kidnapped in Mount Lebanon, in particular, in Shouf region where leader MP Walid Jumblat resides.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said he would attend a national dialogue session set to be held on Thursday even if the March 14 opposition coalition decides to boycott the all-party talks.

In remarks to As Safir daily published Wednesday, Jumblat said: “I hail the president on the questions he asked as to how we could benefit from the arsenal of the resistance to defend Lebanon through a Lebanese defense strategy.”

The Lebanese Forces criticized on Tuesday Energy Minister Jebran Bassil for his accusations that the LF and the Phalange Party had reneged on the decisions reached at Bkirki on an electoral draft-law to satisfy al-Mustaqbal Movement chief Saad Hariri and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat.

It said in a statement: “Followers are those who abandon national principles.”

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil accused the Phalange party and the Lebanese Forces on Tuesday of reneging on the decisions reached in Bkirki on an electoral draft-law to satisfy al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat.

In an interview with al-Akhbar newspaper, Bassil said a draft-law approved by the government “guarantees the right representation and does not eliminate any Christian.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat noted on Saturday that the current government’s main achievement” is its commitment to the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

He declared during a Ramadan iftar in the Shouf region: “The obscure army, people, and resistance slogan can no longer persist at the expense of the state, army, security, and economy.”

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 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.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat has telephoned former prime minister Saad Hariri to discuss the draft electoral law adopted by the government.

Jumblat and Hariri discussed “the draft electoral law adopted by the government and the coordination of stances in parliament,” the Akhbar al-Yawm news agency reported on Friday.