Syria's pro-democracy movement has reached out to the army ahead of Friday protests that have become a weekly ritual, appealing to soldiers to join their cause.

"We urge our supporters to deliver a message to free soldiers in the Syrian army so that hand in hand the guardians of the homeland join our peaceful revolution," said Syrian Revolution, a Facebook group spurring anti-regime protests.

The uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad is eviscerating the country's economy, threatening to hit hard at the business community and prosperous merchant classes, which the embattled regime relies on to help retain its grip on power.

About two months of violent protests around the country have shuttered businesses, driven away tourists and thrust Assad's regime into an unprecedented political quagmire that found its roots in the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. Economic growth rates that had hit around 3.5 percent in fiscal 2010, are seen, according to some estimates, contracting by 3 percent in fiscal 2011.

The U.S. is upping pressure on Lebanon to reduce its ties to Syria and is warning Lebanese officials that they risk being isolated, diplomats and officials told the Los Angeles Times.

A Western diplomat and Lebanese officials said that during his visit to Beirut last week, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman bluntly warned Lebanese officials that the tide had turned against Syria’s Assad regime and urged them to distance themselves from it.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday said the caretaker cabinet “has a duty, amid what’s happening in the region, to take all measures necessary for the proper implementation of (U.N. Security Council) Resolution 1701, as we should not expose our borders, youths and Lebanon to danger.”

“We respect the martyrs who fell on our northern border while commemorating Nakba Day, because hadn’t they been sincere in defending their cause, they wouldn’t have been ready to die in that way,” Geagea added, calling on “political officials to take all measures necessary to avoid the recurrence of such an incident.”

The March 14 general-secretariat said Wednesday that the delay in the formation of the cabinet confirms that the March 8 forces lack the courage to admit their failure.

“The non-formation of the cabinet four months after the nomination (of PM-designate Najib Miqati) is a sign of the Hizbullah team’s failure (to stage) a coup on democracy and constitutional institutions,” said a statement issued after the weekly meeting of the general-secretariat.

Military sources have appeased fears about a possible attempt by Syrian forces to cross the Nahr al-Kabir in northern Lebanon after an end to the deployment of the Lebanese army along the border with Syria.

The sources denied to An Nahar daily on Wednesday that the Syrian army would cross the border and reach Lebanon. The denial came amid rumors and fears among residents in the area about the possibility of infiltration by Syrian troops.

Lebanese activists gathered in a warehouse on Tuesday in a show of support for anti-regime protesters in Syria despite severe difficulties finding a venue.

"Twenty-eight hotels in Beirut and across the country refused to allow us to rent a hall to hold a private gathering in support of the Syria protests," said Saleh Mashnouk.

The United States on Tuesday announced it is imposing sanctions against seven foreign firms, including Venezuelan, Singaporean, and Israeli companies, as part of efforts to check Iran's nuclear ambitions.

It also imposed sanctions against 16 other foreign firms and individuals, including from China, over trade with Iran, Syria and North Korea in goods or technology that may be used for weapons of mass destruction or missiles.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun criticized on Tuesday Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati’s performance so far in forming a government, accusing him of wasting his time and not wanting to form the Cabinet.

He said after the FPM’s weekly meeting: “We have presented all we can to facilitate its formation, but the premier-designate does not want it to be established.”

An anti-Assad regime movement in Lebanon is scheduled to hold a gathering on Tuesday afternoon in support of Syrian demonstrators.

“Lebanese for the Freedom and the Dignity of the Syrian People” movement called for the gathering to express unity with the people’s “revolution for the sake of dignity, freedom and democracy,” said a statement issued by organizers.