Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Moqdad stated that Lebanese-Syrian ties "cannot be normal if the situation in Lebanon is not normal," reported the Kuwaiti al-Rai newspaper on Sunday.

He said: "Syria will not interfere in Lebanon in the interests of any side and the Lebanese officials are responsible for their country."

Mustaqbal MP Ahmed Fatfat stressed that Interior Minister Ziad Baroud's decision to take disciplinary measures against Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi came in light of the minister's lax approach in defending the ISF.

Fatfat told the daily al-Mustaqbal Sunday: "It seems that Baroud is taking measures that appear as a political position or opinion."

Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar stressed on Sunday the importance of convening Cabinet as there are several dangerous and vital matters that need to be addressed and appointments that should be approved.

He said that obstructing state functioning should no longer continue.

House Speaker Nabih Berri was planning to boycott the launch of the new judicial year on Monday after President Michel Suleiman suggested during his recent consultations that the false witnesses file be discussed at the National Dialogue after failing to discuss it during Cabinet.

Suleiman was quick to clarify, through his sources, that he was not behind this suggestion, reported the daily An Nahar Sunday.

State Minister Jean Oghassabian stated that the March 14 forces consider the false witnesses file to be a political issue in Lebanon.

He told the daily An Nahar in an interview on Sunday that there are several issues that have been put on hold that require discussion, adding: "Some priorities are proposed before Cabinet and Prime Minister Saad Hariri and President Michel Suleiman have the right to coordinate between each other to address them."

Lebanon filed a complaint with the U.N. Security Council on Saturday over an Israeli device found in south Lebanon to spy on Hizbullah’s private telecommunications network.

Hizbullah said Friday that it discovered the device which exploded after apparently being detonated remotely by the Israelis near the village of Majdel Selem, about 8 kilometers from the border with Israel.

Syria's alleged interference in Lebanon and its increasingly sophisticated weapons shipments to Hizbullah have alarmed U.S. officials and prompted Israel's military to consider a strike against a Syrian arms depot, U.S. and Israeli officials told The Washington Post.

But Israel has so far hesitated to take military action out of concern that such a strike could touch off a conflict even bloodier than the 2006 war, said an Israeli military official.

President Michel Suleiman held talks with Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan on Saturday as part of consultations aimed at ending the political deadlock.

Arslan said he told Suleiman that the cabinet should be responsible and play its role. A solution should also be found to the issue of false witnesses, the MP told reporters in Baabda palace.

Interior Minister Ziad Baroud denied on Saturday that he had problems with the general directorate of the Internal Security Forces, but said the institution should not fall in the trap of political rhetoric and should abide by rules and regulations.

“I was surprised to see that (ISF chief) Ashraf Rifi’s answer was published in one of the newspapers,” Baroud told LBC TV network.

Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdel Karim Ali said Syria backs Lebanese leaders in efforts to find a consensus solution to the Lebanese crisis.

He expressed optimism on the success of the Saudi-Syrian initiative and said the Lebanese “are capable of agreeing and working in Lebanon’s interest.”