The forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad thwarted an attempt by “terrorists” to infiltrate into Syrian territories on Saturday, state-run SANA news agency reported, announcing the death of two of the group members.

According to SANA, the “terrorist group” was sneaking into the town of Tall Kalakh near the border with Lebanon.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi's envoy Bishop Samir Mazloum lamented the eruption of the dispute between the Christian Free Patriotic Movement and Lebanese Forces over the parliamentary electoral law, urging calm to resolve their differences, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper Saturday.

He told the daily: “A meeting between the two sides has not been scheduled due to the high tensions between them.”

President Michel Suleiman and Speaker Nabih Berri are likely to disagree on the extension of the current parliament's term given the political parties' failure to reach an agreement over a new electoral law, reported al-Akhbar newspaper Saturday.

Suleiman's circles said that the president reportedly opposes extending the term for more than four months.

Parliamentary elections candidates from the rival March 8 and 14 camps announced on Saturday that they would be willing to submit their candidacies based on the 1960 electoral law, reported various media outlets.

According to LBCI television, March 14 Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan said: “The LF, Mustaqbal, and independent candidates will submit their candidacies based on the 1960 law to prevent uncontested victories.”

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Friday called on all politicians in Lebanon to continue to seek consensus over a new electoral law, urging an end to the “treason accusations” among Christians leaders.

“After six years of proposing draft laws and wasting days and months in studying proposals and holding consultations and meetings, failing to reach a new law for parliamentary elections would harm the image of the parliament and political officials in Lebanon, and subsequently the image of Lebanon and the dignity of its people,” al-Rahi said in an appeal to Lebanon's leaders from Colombia.

Speaker Nabih Berri adjourned the meeting of the parliamentary electoral subcommittee to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, awaiting the feedback of the Lebanese Forces and al-Mustaqbal bloc regarding the remarks raised by the March 8 camp over the hybrid electoral law.

Berri stressed after the afternoon meeting that he does not favor the extension of the parliament's term, “not even for one single day.”

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Friday “categorically” denied a media report claiming that he had proposed to Speaker Nabih Berri to exchange the extension of parliament’s term with the so-called 8-8-8 cabinet line-up formula in addition to the rotation of portfolios.

A report published Friday in As Safir newspaper said should Berri reject the alleged deal, al-Mustaqbal Movement would refuse to extend parliament’s mandate and would submit the nominations of its candidates as of next Monday according to the 1960 electoral law.

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly and European Union Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst met on Friday with Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam at his residence in Msaytbeh and later on with Speaker Nabih Berri where discussions focused on the importance of forming a new cabinet.

After meeting Salam, Plumbly urged all political parties to hold what he described as “positive” consultations with the PM-designate in order to form a new government as soon as possible.

President Michel Suleiman warned on Friday of extending the tenure of the parliament, calling on MPs to exert efforts to reach consensus over a new electoral law.

“Stepping over the people's will to select their representatives, which was stated in the law and based on democracy” is a red line, Suleiman told his visitors.

Lebanese Forces MP Antoine Zahra slammed on Friday the Free Patriotic Movement's campaign against the party, saying that it is seeking to reach an agreement over a parliamentary electoral law that enjoys the consensus of all sides.

He said during a press conference in response to the FPM campaign: “The Movement is seeking to achieve political gains, not an agreement over an electoral law.”