MP Mohammed Raad, head of the Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc, stressed Sunday that Hizbullah “is the first party to welcome the decision of the state security agencies to assume their security missions in Beirut's southern suburbs.”

“In the wake of the Rweiss bombing, state authorities were incapable of performing their role in providing security and stability for our people in Dahieh, so we took some measures that can be described as 'first aid' while waiting for the state to carry out its duties,” Raad noted, on the eve of a security plan that will see a joint force composed of troops from the army and security services take over security at checkpoints set up by Hizbullah after the blasts that hit Bir al-Abed and Rweiss.

A joint force of 800 men composed of soldiers from the army and security services will begin their deployment on Monday afternoon in the southern suburbs of Beirut, where they will take over security at checkpoints set up by Hizbullah in the wake of two bombings that hit its stronghold, caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said on Sunday.

Following the blasts that rocked Bir al-Abed and Rweiss, Hizbullah turned the southern suburbs into a fortress with guards in civilian clothes policing the streets, stopping and searching cars and asking motorists for their IDs.

United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly highlighted the importance of the Baabda Declaration that calls for disassociating Lebanon from regional conflicts, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Sunday.

He told the daily that he had recently warned Hizbullah leaders of the danger of rejecting the agreement.

President Michel Suleiman traveled to New York on Sunday to attend the United Nations General Assembly that is set for September 24, reported the Kuwaiti daily al-Anba on Sunday.

He is “almost definitely” expected to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama, it added, while not ruling out the possibility of a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rowhani.

Lebanon's political crisis and the conflicts in the region should jolt politicians into joining hands to form the new government and return to the all-party talks, President Michel Suleiman said Saturday.

“Lebanese leaders should be aware of the concept of instability in their country … and join efforts to form a government and return to the national dialogue to resolve (the country's) problems,” Suleiman said in a statement on International Peace Day.

UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Paolo Serra stressed on Saturday that the success in maintaining peace in southern Lebanon is due to the strategic partnership with the Lebanese army.

“I am very grateful for their support and cooperation and I remain firmly committed to conduct all our activities in close coordination with them,” Serra said during a speech at a ceremony in UNIFIL headquarters in the southern town of Naqoura to mark the 32nd International Day of Peace.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam hoped on Saturday that Lebanon's political parties would not set red lines to his cabinet formation efforts despite the “pressure” that they are exerting on him.

“I hope there wouldn't be red lines but there is pressure and insistence by everyone,” Salam said following talks with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace.

A 24-member cabinet line-up was set to be announced before President Michel Suleiman's trip to New York on Sunday but several obstacles prevented the formation of the new cabinet, As Safir daily reported.

According to the newspaper published Saturday, Premier-designate Tammam Salam proposed to give eight ministers to the March 8 alliance – four Shiites and four Christians.

A Sept. 25 meeting of an international support group for Lebanon at the United Nations General Assembly will be based on a presidential statement issued by the Security Council this month, Lebanon's permanent representative to the U.N. said.

Ambassador Nawaf Salam told An Nahar daily published on Saturday that the meeting, which will be headed by U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon and President Michel Suleiman, will take as its starting point an international call for a strong support to Lebanon to confront the challenges that are threatening its security and stability.

Three people were arrested on Friday in the Western Bekaa in possession of weapons and extermely explosive material, a media report said.

"A Palestinian and two Syrians were arrested in Western Bekaa in possession of arms, RPGs, 80 kilos of extremely explosive material and a quantity of fuses and hand grenades," Voice of Lebanon radio station (100.5) reported.