Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan described his meeting with Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea as “friendly and frank” in dealing with issues of contention between the two rival sides, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Saturday.

He told the daily: “Contacts are ongoing and constant between the two sides and this is a critical phase in the talks.”

Qatar's mediation to release the servicemen abducted by Islamist gunmen have intensified in recent days, reported the daily al-Mustaqbal on Saturday.

General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim has meanwhile expressed his satisfaction with the course of the negotiations, official sources told the daily.

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.

Health Minister Wael Abou Faour terminated on Friday the hospitalization contract of Hotel Dieu de France hospital for failing to admit a disabled woman.

He said: “It violated its contract for refusing to grant treatment to a patient who carried a disability card.”

Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan met on Friday with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea at his Maarab residence as part of preparations for the document of principles between the two sides, as sources close to the conferees denied reports of a possible “bargain” between Geagea and Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun.

OTV revealed that Kanaan and Geagea held talks for two hours aimed at “reducing obstacles” hindering the document.

Diesel disappeared from the market in several regions as the fierce winter storm Windy started to lash Lebanon, mainly because of the distributors' preference to smuggle it to Syria, which prompted Economy Minister Alain Hakim to make an inspection tour on Friday and to pledge quick measures to stop what he described as a “crime.”

The scarcity of the vital petroleum product was mainly noticed in the Bekaa region, where residents rely on diesel for heating in extremely cold weather conditions.

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.”

The Council of Maronite bishops welcomed on Friday the dialogue among the country's different factions, hoping that it would lead to the election of a new president, and urged the Lebanese to back the state at this critical stage.

The bishops hoped in a statement following their monthly meeting in Bkirki that “talks among the Lebanese political parties would be aimed at electing a head of state.”

Hizbullah rejected on Friday media reports that said Syria was seeking to assassinate detained former minister Michel Samaha.

It said in a statement: “Such claims are baseless accusations that do not rely on facts.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stressed on Friday that all political powers share the same responsibility to prevent the country from slipping into the chaos surrounding it.

“We share a common obligation to prevent” a fate similar to countries in the region, Jumblat said in a speech at the Druze Spiritual Council.