Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq criticized on Thursday the rivals over the lack of responsibility concerning the presidential elections, praising Lebanon's ability to withstand the turmoil in the region under the tenure of the “best” Prime Minister Tammam Salam.

“Our rivals are insisting to push forward their presidential candidate to reach Baabda Palace, according to the formula: either our candidate or no one,” Mashnouq said in an interview with As Safir newspaper.

The Army leadership reportedly received confirmation from the concerned French authorities that they will start shipping $3 billion worth of weapons paid for by Saudi Arabia to the Lebanese military in April.

According to An Nahar newspaper published on Thursday, French officials contacted high-ranking military officials recently and informed them that the first batch of arms will be delivered soon.

Maronite bishop Samir Mazloum has denied that Bkirki was seeking to hold a summit for the rival Christian political leaders but he called for dialogue among different factions to focus on the election of a new president.

“There is no such thing at this current stage,” Mazloum told al-Joumhouria newspaper published on Thursday about a possible summit among Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, the head of Kataeb Party, former President Amin Gemayel, and MP Suleiman Franjieh, who is the leader of Marada Movement.

The top U.N. official for humanitarian aid, Valerie Amos, has informed Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas that Lebanon's demand to send Syrian refugees to safer areas inside Syria has been met with Russian and Chinese veto.

According to Derbas, Amos said she informed the major powers four times about Lebanon's request. But she was confronted with veto from the Russian and Chinese diplomats at the U.N.

Energy and Water Minister Arthur Nazarian and the Lebanese Petroleum Administration stressed Wednesday that any data resulting from geological surveys for the country's offshore gas and oil “has not been handed over to any side,” refuting media reports.

This data “is the property of the Lebanese state, and the ministry and the administration are exerting efforts to maintain it and safeguard it in line with the applicable laws,” Nazarian and the LPA said in a joint statement.

General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim said that no political factions have opposed the implementation of the government-approved security plan in the eastern Bekaa region.

He told the General Security magazine in its latest issue: “No region in Lebanon is impenetrable against the entry of the state's security forces.”

United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag held talks on Wednesday with Defense Minister Samir Moqbel on the security situation in Lebanon.

She praised the efforts of the army and security forces in their efforts “to safeguard Lebanon’s security and stability from the threat posed by extremist militants.”

Speaker Nabih Berri warned on Wednesday against plans to fragment the region, including Lebanon.

He said during his weekly meeting with lawmakers at his Ain el-Tineh residence: “Lebanon is like the atom. If it is split, then it will explode, as will the region around it.”

The army announced on Wednesday that its units arrested a total of 945 suspects in February on terrorism and criminal charges.

The suspects, who range from a variety of nationalities, are involved in terrorism, shooting, assault, drug, and smuggling offenses.

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil held talks on Wednesday with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the latest developments in Lebanon and the region.

The Russian official stressed during the talks his country's support for Lebanon and its “opposition to meddling in its internal affairs.”