President Michel Suleiman on Wednesday stressed Lebanon’s commitment to international legitimacy and the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which was established in 2007 by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1757 to try those responsible for the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri.

Speaking at the opening of the annual U.N. General Assembly summit of world leaders, Suleiman said: “According to its constitution, Lebanon is a democratic, parliamentary republic built upon freedom of expression and belief and its people is the source of authority.”

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun noted on Wednesday that the fall of the Syrian regime will not benefit Christians or Muslims, saying that the solution to the crisis lies in change and stability.

He told UPI: “Should the Syrian regime be overthrown, then the Christians and Muslims won’t have any freedom.”

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams voiced on Wednesday his satisfaction that parliament will tackle on Thursday the electricity draft law, hoping that it would lead to addressing other important issues.

MP Robert Ghanem announced on Wednesday that an agreement was reached to adopt the government’s version of the electricity draft law.

He said after a meeting for the parliamentary joint committees that the law will be referred to parliament where it will be subject to a vote on Thursday.

The March 14 General Secretariat criticized on Wednesday the government’s stalling practices, saying that they will only lead Lebanon to further crises that are being run by regional powers “that are not part of international legitimacy.”

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “Seeing as Lebanon is heading the United Nations Security Council, President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati should fulfill their pledges and completely commit to resolutions on Lebanon.”

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon held a ceremony to mark the 30th International Day of Peace during which UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Alberto Asarta called for a permanent ceasefire in the South.

Present at the ceremony at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura were local authorities, religious leaders, representatives of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the international community.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi held talks with French Ambassador Denis Pietton in Bkirki on Wednesday despite the diplomat’s announcement that his government was “disappointed” by al-Rahi’s remarks on Syria and Hizbullah’s arms.

The National News Agency said Bishop Samir Mazloum attended the talks.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel confirmed that two peopled killed by the Internal Security Forces Information Branch in the Bekaa valley on Tuesday were members of a network seeking to kidnap foreigners.

In remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper published Wednesday, Charbel said the two men were dangerous outlaws that had previously escaped from several ISF operations carried out against them and had killed an ISF Intelligence Branch officer in the Bekaa town of Majdal Anjar several months ago.

A ministerial committee tasked with regulating Lebanon’s electricity sector is now facing the difficult mission of introducing amendments to Law 462 after it found several ambiguities in it.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati chaired the meeting on Tuesday. Members of the committee agreed to study superfluous points in the law and raise them at the next meeting set for Oct. 10.

Speaker Nabih Berri welcomed Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi’s scheduled visit to the southern border towns in the upcoming days, An Nahar newspaper reported on Wednesday.

“These kind of rare visitors don’t need an invitation, he (Patriarch al-Rahi) will be among his pastors and family,” Berri told the daily.