Interior Minister Marwan Charbel urged officials on Wednesday to assume its responsibilities and take a cohesive political decision in dealing with the gunmen in Tripoli.

“We are ready to discuss the recent incidents with all the parties in Tripoli in order to preserve security in the city,” Charbel told reporters after chairing a security meeting at the Tripoli Serail.

Conflicting reports emerged on Wednesday over threats made by Electricite du Liban's contract workers to set the company’s offices in Mar Mikhael on fire if their demands were not carried out.

According to the National News agency the contract workers urged the company’s employees in Beirut to leave the building before 11:00 a.m.

Hizbullah deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem stressed on Wednesday that consensus over the electoral law for the upcoming 2013 elections can be reached through the resumption of dialogue among all parties.

“Hizbullah would enter dialogue with anyone and in the end the electoral law will be issued through the parliament, which includes various political blocs,” Qassem said in an interview with An Nahar newspaper.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea noted that flaws in representation in parliamentary electoral laws have existed since 1990, reported al-Akhbar newspaper Wednesday.

He told the newspaper: “It is time to rectify the flaw according to the Taif Accord … and we definitely oppose the 1960 law.”

Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed during Wednesday’s parliamentary meeting a list of politicians and figures targeted by extremist groups, describing the threat as serious and dangerous.

According to NBN, Berri called on security agencies to follow up the issue.

The cabinet on Wednesday failed to reach an agreement over the controversial issue of extra-budgetary spending, but agreed on an exit for urgent spending.

Briefing reporters after the session, Information Minister Walid al-Daouq said the cabinet “approved contingency funds to cover urgent spending under extraordinary circumstances for each of: the army (L.L. 15 billion), the Internal Security Forces (L.L. 7.5 billion) and the education ministry’s official exams (L.L. 1.25 billion).”

Speaker Nabih Berri described on Wednesday the army’s deployment in the northern city of Tripoli as relieving, noting that all the facilitations were provided to prevent sedition.

“We are required to help the army in maintaining security and preventing sedition,” Berri told An Nahar newspaper.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday accused President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat of “practicing obstruction” and “pushing the country to a harmful course.”

“They deprived us of the majority that allows us to take decisions. Suleiman is obstructing the L.L.8,900 billion decree and saying there are obstacles,” said Aoun during an interview on his movement’s mouthpiece OTV.

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim on Tuesday confirmed media reports that the arrest of Salafist activist Shadi al-Mawlawi was coordinated with a Western security agency, noting that al-Qaida exists in Lebanon and hinting that Mawlawi is a Qaida member.

Speaking to the correspondents of Arab newspapers in Lebanon, Ibrahim said: “As to Mawlawi’s case, I believe that the issue is thorny and weighty, and we have been following up on the case since 13 days without informing anyone in Lebanon because confidentiality is an essential part of our job. This case has major repercussions and local and international aspects.”

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday called for “removing illegal arms” from Tripoli, which has witnessed three days of deadly clashes, holding the government responsible for “any negligence or procrastination in implementing the necessary measures to protect the city.”

“The residents of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen belong to one city and they reject fighting and infiltrators,” the bloc said in a statement recited by ex-PM Fouad Saniora, following an emergency meeting in Tripoli’s Quality Inn Hotel.