Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Thursday that Lebanon is capable of overcoming the difficult phase the region is going through as it did in the past in overcoming several crises that affected its economic and social sectors.

He said during the opening of the Arab Investment Conference for Banking, Industry, Tourism and Real Estate held in Beirut: “We are keen on refraining from meddling in the affairs of any Arab country.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat received a verbal message from Syrian President Bashar Assad informing him that Damascus has decided to freeze relations with the MP for the time being, al-Liwaa newspaper reported.

Last week, Assad criticized Jumblat’s statements in which he advised former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to follow his example and refrain from getting involved in developments in Syria, informed sources told the daily.

The joint parliamentary committees discussed on Thursday the draft law on the electricity project that was referred to parliament following a cabinet approval last week.

The draft law includes only two articles. The first allows the government to begin the implementation of the project before receiving the funds from the state budget and the second calls for the implementation of the law upon its publication in the official gazette.

The Vatican has made an official request to Bkirki to review the latest controversial statements that Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi made to take the appropriate stance from them, informed European sources said.

The sources told al-Liwaa daily published Thursday that the Vatican would study and evaluate the statements which al-Rahi claimed were taken out of context.

President Michel Suleiman defended on Thursday Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi’s recent statements, saying that they stem from his role as the representative of Christians in Lebanon and the region.

He said after holding talks with the Patriarch in Diman: “The Patriarch succeeded in voicing to the French state the Christians’ concerns over sectarian tensions and the naturalization of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.”

The March 14-led opposition is seeking to propose a draft law on funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon probing the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri to find a solution to the $32 million Lebanon is obligated to pay for the international court, An Nahar newspaper reported on Thursday.

“They (March 14 camp) are discussing the possibility of presenting a draft law to the parliament to fund the STL, like (Free Patriotic Movement leader) MP Michel Aoun did in the issue of the electricity project,” the daily said.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati urged Lebanese officials to return to the language of reason and logic and abandon violent and sectarian rhetoric, during Wednesday’s cabinet session.

He noted that “an unhealthy mood is affecting Lebanon’s political society,” criticizing the obvious “cursing language” between factions.

The Syrian State television will broadcast on Saturday the confessions of an alleged Israeli spy who conspired to assassinate top Hizbullah commander Imad Mughniyeh, State news agency SANA reported.

“The Israeli spy will reveal some of the details of the conspiracy against Syria,” SANA said on Wednesday.

The Progressive Socialist Party is shrugging off reports and rumors about deterioration in the relations between PSP chief Walid Jumblat and Hizbullah over his remarks on the Shiite party’s weapons.

Ministers Ghazi Aridi and Wael Abou Faour, who are loyal to Jumblat, stressed before a cabinet session held on Wednesday that ties between the Druze chief and Hizbullah officials are “good,” An Nahar daily reported.

The drivers’ union suspended its nationwide strike that was scheduled to be held on Thursday after reaching a late-night deal with Prime Minister Najib Miqati for the finance ministry to begin receiving the requests of fuel subsidy payments starting Monday.

The strike was aimed at protesting the government’s failure to deliver on a monthly LL400,000 fuel subsidy promised in May. Public drivers were seeking to hold the strike between 6:00 am and 12:00 pm.