Several Lebanese officials lauded on Thursday Saudi Arabia for granting Lebanon additional financial aid to help it combat security threats.

Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel expressed concern in an interview with Saudi newspaper Okaz over the enormous challenges confronting Lebanon, considering that the second Saudi financial deal didn't surprise him.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea warned on Tuesday that the clashes between the army and terrorists in the northeastern border town of Arsal could spread to other areas in Lebanon.

In a speech at the emigrants annual meeting in Maarab, Geagea said: “The security situation in Arsal is very dangerous even if it is isolated.”

Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has reportedly advised Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat to visit Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun to resolve the presidential deadlock.

“We have a president … He is Aoun and we continue to back him,” As Safir daily quoted Nasrallah as telling Jumblat.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea considered on Thursday that Lebanon has been drawn back to a “pre-historic” phase, not because of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's acts, but because of some political factions' stances.

“The presidential vacuum that we are witnessing is unacceptable, and it is no longer a farce only but a tragedy that is being reflected in a parliamentary and a ministerial vacuum,” Geagea stated during a meeting with a delegation of the World Lebanese Cultural Union.

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Thursday that he didn't tackle the extension of the parliament's term with any political party, pointing out that the priority is for staging the presidential elections.

“Contacts with political powers are focusing on the election of a new head of state and not the parliamentary polls,” Berri said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat blasted Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea and Free Patriotic Movement head MP Michel Aoun once again on Tuesday, denying that he discussed the presidential impasse with Speaker Nabih Berri or Hizbullah chief Sayyed Nassan Nasrallah.

"Let those among Christian figures who are holding onto their posts be reassured that we did not discuss the presidential vote with (Berri and) Sayyed Hassan,” Jumblat said after holding talks with the speaker in Ain el-Tineh, hitting out at Geagea and Aoun.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat has denied that he asked Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to end his support for Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun's candidacy.

In remarks published in As Safir daily on Monday, Jumblat said he did not make such a request during his recent meeting with Nasrallah.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea played down a recent meeting held between Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat.

The meeting has no political meaning, Geagea told An Nahar newspaper published on Monday.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi expressed belief on Sunday that the political powers should elect a consensual president who is not affiliated to March 8 or 14 alliances and considered not provocative.

“As long as the March 14 coalition will not allow the March 8 candidate to reach the presidential post and vise versa, then we should choose a head of state not affiliated to both alliances,” al-Rahi said during Sunday's sermon in his summer seat of Diman.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday said that Lebanon has become a “prison without walls” where there is no security or authority due to the factional “interests” of some political parties, hitting out at Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun without naming them.

“These days, I'm avoiding to talk politics in order to avoid repetitiveness, but this doesn't mean resigning from politics but rather maintaining our firm stances, because endurance is sometimes more important than action,” Geagea said at a Maarab rally marking the ninth anniversary of his release from prison.