Outgoing Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir denied that he had been biased during his 25-year tenure and reiterated that only the Lebanese army should carry arms.

“I support things that I see beneficial to the sect and the nation,” Sfeir told An Nahar daily in an interview published Friday. “I am neither with them nor against them,” he said about the different factions in the country.

Premier-designate Najib Miqati said Thursday he had information suggesting that some parties were urging world powers to issue a U.N. Security Council resolution under Chapter 7, after four Lebanese ministers turned down requests from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon prosecutor to provide information and documents, Al-Manar TV reported.

Al-Manar quoted Miqati as saying that he was surprised by STL Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare's recent requests given that a draft indictment had been already submitted by Bellemare to STL Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen on January 17.

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams revealed on Thursday that the international organization is currently studying the best way to assist Lebanon in drilling for petroleum in the Mediterranean and demarcating its maritime border.

He made his statements after holding talks with Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil on the political situation in Lebanon and the economic challenges facing it, as well as the government formation process.

French Ambassador to Lebanon Denis Pietton hoped on Thursday that the new government would be formed as soon as possible “because Lebanon is in need of its institutions.”

He said after holding talks with House Speaker Nabih Berri that the new government should also respect international agreements and maintain Lebanese unity.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea criticized on Thursday Hizbullah’s possession of arms, saying that if this issue is not resolved, then any side attempting to constructive governmental functioning will fail.

He told France 24 and Radio Monte Carlo: “Its arms can be used to obstruct the democratic process in Lebanon or take it off its course, similar to what happened a month an a half ago.”

Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel warned on Wednesday over the return to the era of hegemony under the reign of Premier-designate Najib Miqati’s government.

Describing the current political situation as “delicate,” Gemayel said following talks with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir in Bkirki that “there are fears over the return … of hegemony and repression.”

Free Patriotic Movement MP Ibrahim Kanaan stated on Thursday that the negotiations over the formation of the new government “are open to all options,” adding that the important thing is granting the movement a sovereign portfolio.

He told LBC: “The FPM is ready for any meeting with Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati and it does not want to pressure him, but the movement cannot eliminate itself and whom it represents.”

Najib Miqati’s circles have said that the premier-designate is discussing with President Michel Suleiman several cabinet formulas, adding that the head of state is an “essential constitutional partner in the cabinet formation” process and has every right to give his opinion on the issue.

The circles criticized political parties that are making accusations against Suleiman, saying this would hinder the formation of the government.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that Iran is communicating with Hizbullah in a bid to shape events in the Arab world.

It was the first time that Clinton detailed alleged efforts by Tehran to meddle in the three-month wave of Arab revolts that has toppled presidents in Tunisia and Egypt, convulsed Libya and shaken Yemen, Bahrain and Oman.

The Beirut office of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s Prosecutor has reportedly asked the interior ministry to provide it with the fingerprints of 4 million Lebanese.

As Safir daily said Thursday that after reviewing laws, the ministry provided Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare with only several hundred fingerprints.