Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel revealed that President Michel Suleiman will ask for more assistance from the international community next month to deal with the crisis of Syrian refugees fleeing to Lebanon.

In remarks to al-Mustaqbal newspaper published on Thursday, Charbel said Suleiman will discuss with top world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly session the importance of assisting Lebanon over its failure to deal with the growing number of refugees.

The country's top officials are discussing ways to expand the authorities of the resigned government to confront the political, security and economic challenges amid the failure to form a new cabinet, a ministerial source said Thursday.

The source told al-Akhbar newspaper that President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati and several other officials are mulling to expand the powers of the caretaker cabinet to allow it to take a series of measures amid deteriorating security and economic conditions.

President Michel Suleiman called on Tuesday for sticking to the policy of dissociating Lebanon from the Syrian war and urged officials to hold onto the nation's interest.

“Suleiman reiterated his call on all political parties to adhere to the policy of dissociating Lebanon from the regional crises and their complications,” Caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour said after attending a meeting on the Syrian refugees at Baabda palace.

Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel revealed that he asked top officials during a meeting of the Higher Defense Council for explosives detection equipment.

In remarks to An Nahar daily published Tuesday, Charbel said the conferees, who met under President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace, tasked the finance ministry to study the cost of such a request and take the appropriate measures.

A meeting held over the weekend between President Michel Suleiman and al-Mustaqbal bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora ended with no results on the form of the new government, media reports said Tuesday.

Al-Liwaa daily said that Saniora visited Suleiman at Baabda palace on Sunday to inquire him on his latest call for an all-embracing government and the resumption of the national dialogue.

The Higher Defense Council lauded on Monday the “patriotic spirit” of the Lebanese that steered Lebanon away from strife after the latest bombings that rocked the country.

The Council “discussed the movement of the explosive situation from one area to the other in an attempt to create instability and insecurity,” said a statement read by Secretary-General Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir after a meeting held under President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam said on Monday that contacts are ongoing with the March 8 coalition, in particular with Speaker Nabih Berri and PSP chief MP Walid Jumblat.

Sources close to Salam hailed in comments published in local newspapers his latest meeting with President Michel Suleiman, considering that it was a new push to the ongoing consultation over the formation of the cabinet process.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday offered condolences at al-Taqwa Mosque in Tripoli, the site of one of two powerful bombings that left around 45 people dead and 500 others wounded in the northern city.

“We extend our condolences and say that we're also feeling what you're feeling because the disaster affected everyone,” al-Rahi said in a speech at al-Taqwa Mosque.

President Michel Suleiman urged Saturday disassociating Lebanon from regional interests, calling also for the formation of a new cabinet and the resumption of national dialogue sessions.

"Amid all the dangers threatening the country, I call on all factions without any exception to disassociate Lebanon from regional interests,” Suleiman said in a televised speech on Saturday night.

President Michel Suleiman called for “national solidarity to prevent the enemies of stability in Lebanon from reaching their goals."

"It's another episode of a terrorist plan targeting the country,” Suleiman said in a released statement in which he condemned the “massacre” in the northern city of Tripoli.