Al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri left Beirut for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, after he stayed in Lebanon for twelve days.

Former “premier Saad Hariri left Beirut this evening for Riyadh,” Hariri's press office announced.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam has stressed that he would set a date for a new cabinet session when his contacts with the different parties represented in the cabinet reach solutions to the government paralysis.

Officials close to Salam said the premier backs any initiative that would facilitate the government's work.

General Security chief Major General Abbas Ibrahim is awaiting the green light to head to Istanbul to tackle the case of so-called Arsal captives, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Tuesday.

According to the daily, Ibrahim only traveled to the United Arab of Emirates, denying talks about his trip to Turkey where he allegedly met with Qatari intelligence chief Ghanim al-Kubaisi.

Speaker Nabih Berri announced Monday that he is encouraging dialogue between Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, noting that he would endorse any agreement they might reach over the stalled presidential vote.

“We had a chance to Lebanonize the presidential election, especially as the foreign forces were preoccupied with their problems,” Berri told a delegation from the council of the Lebanese Press Syndicate that visited him in Ain al-Tineh.

The families of Arsal captives said Monday that they received assurance on the cabinet's readiness to discuss all demands set by the Islamist gunmen to ensure the safe release of their loved ones.

The relatives stressed that al-Mustaqbal Movement chief Saad Hariri promised to follow up the case with the concerned officials, pointing out that he pledged not to neglect the case.

Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri is backing the formation of a civil state over his rejection of extremism, al-Mustaqbal officials said.

The officials told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat published on Monday that Hariri brought up the issue during his meetings with al-Mustaqbal's politburo and the movement's bloc.

Speaker Nabih Berri lauded on Sunday a meeting held with al-Mustaqbal Movement chief Saad Hariri, describing talks as “fruitful.”

“We discussed endeavors to safeguard the country and the election of a new head of state,” Berri said in comments published in al-Mustaqbal newspaper.

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi stated that defense strategies all over the world include articles on criminalizing fighting outside of home soil, adding that he is seeking to devise an article on this matter for Lebanon's strategy, reported Kuwait's al-Rai newspaper.

He told the daily in an interview set be published on Sunday: “I insist on criminalizing any fighting of Lebanese, whether they be Hizbullah or anyone else, on foreign soil.”

Speaker Nabih Berri held a banquet Friday evening in honor of al-Mustaqbal chief Saad Hariri where several local issues were discussed.

The meeting between the two political leaders took place at Berri's residence in Ain al-Tineh in the presence of Hariri's adviser Nader Hariri and Berri's political aide Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil.

Head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri emphasized on Friday the importance of dialogue in Lebanon as a means to reach solutions to pending issues, while describing as “positive” his talks with Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Wednesday.

He said: “The fact that dialogue with the MP took place is positive and our dialogue with him had started over a year ago.”