Negotiations continue regarding a prisoner swap between Israel and Hezbollah and its outcome should be known in two to three weeks.

Israelis are not interested in obtaining information about the (Kidnapped) Israeli soldiers.

Pledged that there would be no presidential election as long as the United States persisted with rejecting veto powers for the opposition.

"Our friends would not exert pressure on us."

Threatening with security council resolutions would not change the situation and we will not face a situation that is worse than the July war.

"We do not intend to start a war, we donÂ’t want a war, but we are preparing for it."

Urged Hezbollah officials to consider seriously a legal response to charges of involvement in assassinations, facilitating them or covering up such crimes, stressing that "this is a very serious charge."

He is ready, within the framework of a national unity government, to settle the issue of Hezbollah weapons in line with a defense strategy.

Neither side achieved a decisive victory or suffered a decisive defeat

Syria gave priority to the opposition interests rather than its own interests.

Asking Syria to intervene in Lebanon is tantamount to "limited American failure."

The opposition would "resort to civic legitimate means and whatever one can think of."

The opposition would not "remain silent. We are waiting for mediations to succeed, but if that fails and the situation persisted there would be a move by the opposition."

The existing situation is "very bad, but it could be worse if they assumed power without participation by the opposition represented by a guaranteeing one third."

Had the majority elected a president by simple majority vote the opposition would have "carried out a pre-set plan."

"If you want numerical democracy we are ready, if you want factional democracy by which the majority rules the minority we are ready."

Proposed an unwritten precedent that new governments would be formed in line with the representation of parliamentary blocs in the house.

The majority has rejected the formation of a national unity government and the holding of parliamentary elections at a province level, which blocked the French initiative.

"We are ready to cooperate with all mediations ... and according to my information the French initiative is not over yet."

Assigning Aoun to represent the opposition in discussions was based on a proposal by Berri.

He announced that a solution lies in achieving partnership that gives the opposition a constitutional guarantee which is the "guaranteeing one-third.

An opposition enjoying veto powers in the government means there is an official Lebanese trend to settle differences with Syria.

The "guaranteeing one third" means that the opposition has become a partner in the country.

The current problem is that a party wants to monopolize power and rejects partnership.

Clarifying controversial clauses of the constitution is the responsibility of the constitutional council that should be re-structured.

Certain clauses of the constitution need clarification and "I support Aoun on this."

Amending any article of the constitution should be subject to consensus.

The French asked the Iranians whether time has come to amend the Taef and the Iranians responded that this is a Lebanese issue.

"We havenÂ’t called, and we would not call in the current phase for amending the Taef accord."

"Our conflict is not with February 14, but with George Bush".

Israel is behind the assassinations carried out in Lebanon.

The Lebanese should rule their country, but there is no interest in changing Lebanon into an enemy for Syria.

The American administration wants a pro-American authority in Lebanon that carries out Washington's orders.

What is happening in Lebanon is just part of the American agenda for the region.

Hezbollah enjoys "indefinite independence" and its decision is based on the interests of Lebanon and the cause in which it believes.

There is no power struggle within Hezbollah, stressing that such claims aim at distorting the party's image.