Former Prime Minister and al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri stated on Saturday that Lebanon celebrates its Independence Day this year with sorrow and that the vacuum at the top state post is an insult to the Lebanese.

“The vacuum at the presidential post is the biggest insult to the Lebanese people on their national day of Independence,” said Hariri via Twitter.

Russian ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin expressed astonishment at the recent Russian request to divert air routes from Lebanon stressing that he had “no information on the subject,” al-Joumhouria daily said on Saturday.

Zaspykin said that he was totally surprised by Russia's request that Lebanon ensures that flights from Beirut airport avoid an area over the eastern Mediterranean for the next three days.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam received a congratulation letter from French President Francois Hollande on Independence Day in which he confirmed “his country's support to Lebanon to overcome the challenges facing the nation,” the National News Agency said on Saturday.

Hollande praised Salam's efforts in light of the difficult circumstances that the country is witnessing, saying that his country will continue its efforts to help Lebanon end the presidential vacuum.

Public Works and Transport Minister Ghazi Zoaiter revealed on Saturday that Lebanon has taken assurances from Cyprus that Israel will not intrude upon Lebanon's new aviation routes, nor will it carry out maneuvers in light of the latest Russian demand to avoid overflying the eastern Mediterranean area.

“Lebanon has taken assurances from Cyprus that Israel will not intrude upon Lebanon's aviation or carry out any maneuvers on the new air routes,” Zoaiter told al-Joumhouria daily on Saturday.

Despite the statements negating that a meeting has taken place between head of al-Mustaqbal movement Saad Hariri and Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, well informed sources assured that the meeting has happened and that the two man have met at the house of business man Jilbert Chagouri, al-Akhbar daily reported on Saturday.

The sources added that mutual friends have arranged for the meeting at Chagouri's place in Paris during Suleiman's visit to the French capital last week.

Russia asked Lebanon Friday to ensure that flights from Beirut airport avoid an area over the eastern Mediterranean for the next three days, Transport and Public Works Minister Ghazi Zoaiter said.

Russia, which is carrying out air strikes in Syria, "has asked the Lebanese authorities that planes leaving Beirut airport towards the west avoid overflying an area in Mediterranean territorial waters because of maneuvers on Saturday, Sunday and Monday," he said.

Army Commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji called on the military on Friday to stay watchful and attentive both on the southern border to confront the Israeli enemy and on the eastern border and inside Lebanon to deter terrorism.

“Stay fully prepared, both on the southern border to confront the Israeli enemy and to adhere to (U.N.) resolution 1701 and on the eastern border and inside to strike terrorism with an iron fist and its sabotaging cells to preserve the civil peace in the country,” said Qahwaji in the order of the day marking Independence Day.

Kuwaiti security authorities have busted an international cell led by a Lebanese man that was sending air defense systems and funds to the Islamic State group, Kuwait's interior ministry said Thursday.

The cell's Lebanese chief, identified as Osama Mohammed Khayat, confessed that he raised funds and provided logistical support for the group, which has carried out deadly attacks in Lebanon and France in the past week, the ministry said.

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Commander Maj. Gen. Luciano Portolano hailed on Thursday the cooperation between the peace keeping forces and the Lebanese army, stressing that the security situation in the south is stable.

“I have hailed the close cooperation between the UNIFIL forces, the Lebanese army and its intelligence forces which would very much help us in solving the problems that could endanger security and calm in the South,” said Portolano after a meeting with Defense Minister Samir Moqbel.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam said on Thursday that the time has come to restore political activity in Lebanon, urging the political forces to agree on facilitating the cabinet's work in wait for the “big political settlement that begins with electing a president.”

“It is about time to end the current chaos and to restore the political activity by activating the work of the constitutional institutions,” said Salam at the opening of the Annual Arab Banking Conference.