President Michel Suleiman is exerting efforts to resume the national dialogue between Lebanese foes as he is seeking to convince the parliamentary majority and the opposition to meet, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Thursday.

Sources close to Suleiman told the daily that he is open to all suggestions and has expressed readiness to hold bilateral talks with various Lebanese leaders on the condition that they become the basis for holding the all-party talks.

The head of the Audit Bureau vowed on Thursday to unveil the truth behind a red diesel scandal that rocked Lebanon last week as he decided to send inspectors to the North after grilling directors general of oil refineries.

“There won’t be immunity and protection to anyone,” Judge Aouni Ramadan told As Safir daily. The Bureau will follow up the red diesel scandal until all the facts become clear, he said.

The cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal by the Energy and Water Ministry to resume the controversial installation of high-voltage electricity lines in the Metn area of Mansouriyeh-Ain Saadeh, amid a verbal clash during the session between Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel.

Briefing reporters after the session, Information Minister Walid al-Daouq said Premier Najib Miqati stressed the importance of “solidarity” among the cabinet members and the need to avoid any dispute.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Wednesday left for the Russian capital Moscow aboard a private plane, state-run National News Agency reported.

The agency did not elaborate any further.

The Syrian National Council stressed on Wednesday that it seeks to establish strong ties between Syria and Lebanon that respect the sovereignty and independence of each country.

It said in an open letter to the Lebanese people: “To this end, the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council should be dissolved and agreements between the two countries should be revised.”

Speaker Nabih Berri reconciled on Wednesday the March 8 and 14 members of parliament’s Finance and Budget Committee after the opposition MPs boycotted it.

Berri headed a meeting of the committee after he exerted strong efforts to revive the work of the group.

The March 14 General Secretariat condemned on Wednesday the government’s policy of “distancing itself” from the Syrian developments.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “It should instead work on fortifying Lebanon against the repercussions of the crisis.”

Hizbullah urged the cabinet on Wednesday to assume its responsibilities and seriously resolve the electricity crisis that caused severe rationing throughout Lebanon.

“Citizens are experiencing a severe electricity crisis” during harsh winter conditions, according to a statement issued by the party.

Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali noted on Wednesday that the agreements between Lebanon and Syria obligate the two countries to respect them.

He said after holding talks with Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour: “The greater responsibility however lies on Lebanon in implementing these agreements because arms are being smuggled to Syria and sometimes they are being smuggled through Lebanon.”

Firefighters doused on Wednesday a blaze at a shoe factory owned by Michel Daher in Sed al-Boushriyeh, media reports said.

Daher was taken to St. Joseph hospital in Dora for apparently suffering a heart attack after the fire swept through his factory, Voice of Lebanon radio station (93.3) reported.