Beirut - Sunni and Shiite rivals in northern Lebanon are heading towards reconciliation, in a move to curb sectarian fighting, sources close to both sides said on Monday.

High-ranking leaders of both factions who met on Sunday are scheduled to sign later on Monday a memorandum entitled "The Tripoli Document", which offers, in addition to safeguarding civil peace, to hand over the city's security to the Lebanese army.

Beirut  - Saad Hariri, the Sunni leader of Lebanon's western- backed ruling majority accused Syria on Saturday of meddling in Lebanese political affairs and exporting terrorism into the country, local media have reported.

In a clear reference to remarks made by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad about Lebanon's instability, Hariri said that the side that "exports terror to north Lebanon has no right to fear the spread of fundamentalism in Lebanon."

Beirut - The leader of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah said Thursday his group would not lay down its weapons even if the disputed Shebaa Farms in southern Lebanon was liberated from Israeli occupation.

"Even if Shebaa is liberated the weapons of the resistance are staying. The resistance is a defence project for Lebanon," Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said during a Ramadan dinner in Nabatiyeh town, south Lebanon.

Shebaa was captured from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day war with Israel. Israel says Shebaa is Syrian territory and its fate should be determined in future peace talks with Damascus.

Beirut  - The leader of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah said Thursday his group would not lay down its weapons even if the disputed Shebaa Farms in southern Lebanon was liberated from Israeli occupation.

"Even if Shebaa is liberated the weapons of the resistance are staying. The resistance is a defence project for Lebanon," Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said during a Ramadan dinner in Nabatiyeh town, south Lebanon.

Beirut  - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed Thursday that his country will not abandon Lebanon's Shiite resistance movement Hezbollah.

Assad in an exclusive interview with Hezbollah-run al-Manar Television said "we do not see any interest in abandoning the resistance (Hezbollah). Our position toward the resistance against any occupation in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine is firm and has not changed."

Beirut - Syria informed French President Nicolas Sarkozy it has
arrested Lebanon's most-wanted terrorist suspect, Fatah al-Islam leader
Shaker al-Abssi, the Lebanese website Naharnet said Thursday.

It quoted what it called "reliable Syrian sources" as saying Abssi
was in Syrian custody and that contacts were under way between security
agencies in Damascus and Beirut to determine whether he be extradited
to Lebanon or tried in Syria.

The report came hours after the United Arab Emirates daily al-