Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat renewed on Monday his rejection of the Orthodox Gathering parliamentary electoral law, revealing that the party will present its position on the electoral law discussions.

He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa website: “Some sides are mistaken in believing that they can eliminate the other in the parliamentary elections.”

Speaker Nabih Berri kicked off last week efforts to persuade the Mustaqbal Movement and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat to agree on a new parliamentary electoral law, reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.

Sources following the speaker's efforts said that Berri was “adamant in his position that there can be no substitute to proportional representation” in the electoral law.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun criticized on Saturday Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat's rejection of the Orthodox Gathering parliamentary electoral law, saying that he has “done nothing to eliminate sectarianism,” reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.

He wondered: “Does Jumblat want to deny the rights of 110,000 Christians residing in Aley and the Chouf regions?”

Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat are expected to travel to France before the end of January, reported the daily An Nahar Sunday.

It said that the two officials are scheduled to meet with French President Francois Hollande in separate talks during their upcoming visits.

A Progressive Socialist Party delegation held talks on Friday with Popular Bloc leader Elias Skaff to discuss the latest local and regional developments, including party leader MP Walid Jumblat's initiative to persuade political leaders to return to national dialogue.

Transportation and Public Works Minister Ghazi al-Aridi said after the meeting: “We were in agreement with Skaff over the importance of dialogue as the only way to return the situation in Lebanon back to normal.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat announced on Friday that Russia has promised to provide financial and political aid to resolve the crisis of refugees escaping the violence in Syria to Lebanon.

In remarks to LBCI TV following talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Jumblat said: “Moscow will make a financial and political contribution to resolve the crisis of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.”

Speaker Nabih Berri is keen to bridge the gap between the political foes and find common ground over the electoral law that will be adopted during the upcoming parliamentary elections, according to local newspapers published on Tuesday.

“The worst electoral law that we reach consensus over is better than the best electoral law that has sharp rift over,” Berri pointed out.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat criticized Iran on Monday for failing to seek the release of nine Lebanese pilgrims held hostage by rebels in Syria since last May.

He said in his editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa that Tehran could have included the Lebanese abductees in the negotiation process that led to the release of 48 Iranians last week.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati loaded on Monday President Michel Suleiman's stances, saying that the president bases his decisions on the nation's higher interest.

“The president seeks to maintain the unity of the Lebanese and fears over the conditions of the Christians and their future,” Miqati told An Nahar newspaper.

A Progressive Socialist Party delegation aimed at discussing party leader MP Walid Jumblat's initiative to resume national dialogue held talks on Friday with the Tashnaq Party, reported An Nahar daily Saturday.

Tashnag MP Hagop Pakradounian said after the talks: “There can be no substitute for national dialogue.”