President Michel Suleiman stressed on Sunday the need to devise a national defense strategy for Lebanon, while emphasizing that he seeks to hold the presidential elections on time.

He said: “The defense strategy should adhere to the army and the state.”

Prime Minister Tammam Salam condemned on Sunday the clashes that broke out at at dawn near Beirut's Sports City, saying that they are part of the “ongoing developments that violate the state's authority,” reported Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).

He blamed in a statement the unrest on the spread of weapons among the people.

Hizbullah's position on the national dialogue call issued by President Michel Suleiman will likely be expressed by the party's chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah next week, reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.

It said that Nasrallah is scheduled to hold a speech during a cultural event in the southern town of Ainata on the afternoon of March 29.

One person was killed and at least ten were wounded on Sunday in clashes that erupted at dawn between Salafists and supporters of Arab Movement Party leader Shaker al-Berjawi near the Sports City center in Beirut.

Al-Jadeed television identified the victim as Khalil Nabil al-Hanash, whom Agence France Presse said Hanash was a member of the Arab Movement Party.

The pastor of Baalbek-Deir al-Ahmar escaped a kidnap attempt on Saturday evening in the Bekaa.

“Pastor Semaan Atallah was able to escape an abduction attempt on the Iaat-Deir al-Ahmar road,” the state-run National News Agency.

Syrian helicopters fired several rockets on Saturday evening on the Arsal plains in the Bekaa.

"A Syrian army helicopter fired two rockets on Wadi al-Raayan area in Arsal,” the state-run National News Agency said.

Prime Minister Tamman Salam reiterated on Saturday his support for the state's “legitimate institutions,” calling for providing them with the needed political cover.

"Our choice is the state's security and and legitimate institutions only,” Salam said in an interview with Radio Orient.

Sniper activity continued on Saturday afternoon in the northern city of Tripoli, wounding at least one person.

"Ahmed Mheish was wounded by sniper fire at al-Malloula highway in Tripoli's Bab al-Tabbaneh,” the state-run National News Agency reported.

The number of Syrians that have arrived in Lebanon after fleeing the village of al-Hosn in central Syria has risen to 300, the state-run National News Agency said Saturday.

"300 Syrian men, women, children and elderly have crossed the Grand River stream and arrived in Lebanese border towns,” the NNA detailed, adding that many of these refugees were concentrated in the villages of the Wadi Khaled region in the North.

The army has arrested 43 Syrians in the northeastern border town of Arsal and handed them over to the Military Police, the state-run National News Agency reported on Saturday.

"The number of men arrested by the army at checkpoints erected three days ago in the Arsal plains has risen to 43,” the NNA said.