The Maronite Bishops Council voiced calls on Wednesday to abide by the constitution and elect a new head of state without imposing any prior conditions, the National News Agency reported.

During their monthly meeting in Diman under Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, they urged the political leaders to be up to their responsibility.

Al-Mustaqbal MP Ammar Houri said on Wednesday that MP Michel Aoun tried to polish up his image with al-Mustaqbal Movement, as he emphasized that a solution for the presidential file is in the hands of Hizbullah.

“Freeing the presidency file is in the hands of Hizbullah which does not want any candidate for the presidency, not even General (Michel) Aoun,” said Houri in an interview to VDL (100.5).

The General Security arrested several Syrian nationals in the southern town of Ain el-Dilb east of the city of Sidon accused of having links to terror groups in Syria, the National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The suspects were arrested for their involvement in terror groups and for violating the residency permit rules in Lebanon.

Although Prime Minister Tammam Salam has called the ministers on Tuesday for a cabinet meeting this week, but there are no guarantees that it would convene successfully knowing that several ministers have not confirmed attendance as yet, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday

Until Tuesday evening, ministers of Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement have not confirmed whether they will attend or boycott the session, complementing a similar step when they boycotted the latest cabinet meeting.

Speaker Nabih Berri defended the so-called “package deal” on the presidency, which was subject to criticism from Christian officials, and assured that it does not include any item specifying the jurisdictions of the president, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

“They say that the package deal is over, for me it still exists. Let them say what they want, it's their opinion not mine,” Berri's visitors quoted him as saying.

Al-Mustaqbal Movement chief ex-PM Saad Hariri held talks in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, his media office said on Tuesday.

Hariri had arrived in Moscow for talks with Russian officials on the latest developments in Lebanon and the region, and the bilateral relations between the two countries, added his media office.

Al-Mustaqbal Movement Politburo member Mustafa Alloush said on Tuesday, the majority of the movement’s deputies reject the nomination of MP Michel Aoun for the post of presidency and consider it as the “greatest evil.”

“%80 of the Mustaqbal deputies are not in favor of the nomination of Change and Reform bloc head MP Michel Aoun,” Alloush told LBCI in an interview.

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Tuesday that everyone has reservations about, or reject the nomination of MP Michel Aoun for the post of presidency, As Safir daily reported on Tuesday.

“The political figures that (al-Mustaqbal Movement chief) ex-PM Saad Hariri has met during his consultations have either rejected or expressed reservations about the election of the General (Aoun),” Berri told the daily.

Hizbullah began on Sunday holding daily mourning councils on the occasion of Ashura, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

The party prepared processions tents in the southern cities and towns, NNA added.

AMAL MP Hani Qobeissi stressed on Monday that the table of dialogue is essential for Lebanese politicians to gather and discuss the country’s problems, just like the Taef Accord was to end Lebanon’s civil war, the National News Agency reported on Monday.