The March 8 alliance announced on Wednesday that it rejects any attempt to hold the 2013 parliamentary elections based on the 1960 electoral law.

"We are open to discussing all possibilities during the work of the electoral subcommittee,” AMAL Movement Minister Ali Hassan Khalil told al-Manar television after a meeting held between the alliance's political figures.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati warned on Wednesday of the negative impact of linking the case of Syrian refugees in Lebanon to local political disputes.

He said: “Targeting any ministry or official Lebanese agency over their handling of the issue is unjustified and unacceptable.”

Head of the Lebanese Democratic Party MP Talal Arslan voiced on Thursday his support of Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat's initiative aimed at persuading various political powers to return to the national dialogue.

He said: “The balanced and national position expressed by Jumblat is aimed at breaking the deadlock between the Lebanese factions through dialogue as there can be no substitute to the all-party talks.”

General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim predicted on Wednesday that the crisis in Syria would last “a long time,” reported Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).

He added: “The humanitarian condition of the refugees arriving in Lebanon from Syria prevents us from closing the border with the neighboring country.”

A bomb was discovered on Wednesday in a garage in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh in southern Lebanon, reported the National News Agency.

It said that the bomb, which was not prepared to explode, was found in Azzam car garage located on al-Tahtani Street in the camp.

A suspect failed on Wednesday to escape police as he was being transported to his trial in the southern city of Sidon, reported the National News Agency.

It said that Hussein Jaafar Mahmoud was being transferred from the old Justice Palace in Sidon to the new one, where he was scheduled to stand trial, when he tried to evade the judicial police.

Agriculture Minister Hussein al-Hajj Hassan banned on Wednesday the import of livestock from the southern Brazilian state of Parana where a case of atypical mad cow disease was confirmed last month.

Al-Hajj Hassan banned as well the import of frozen meat from Parana.

Contacts are ongoing among the rival political parties over the formation of a national salvation cabinet, media reports said on Tuesday.

Sources told the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa newspaper that officials are seeking to find the suitable candidates to lead the cabinet, which will benefit from a regional and international support.

A series of contacts will be held by President Michel Suleiman during the upcoming days to convince the March 14 opposition leaders to attend a national dialogue session at the Baabda Palace.

Informed sources told the Saudi Okaz newspaper that Suleiman will carry out consultations with local and foreign figures over the resumption of all-party talks on January 7.

The families of the pilgrims kidnapped in Syria reportedly took the decision to suspend their actions against Turkish interests in Lebanon, said LBCI television on Wednesday.

It said that the decision was made after a delegation from the families met with Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, who requested that they suspend their escalatory measures.