Caretaker Tourism Minister, Fadi Abboud, stressed that the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah shared a united strategic stance regarding developments at the local scene, noting that the extension of Parliament's Mandate did not sever relations between both parties.

However, he reiterated his utter refusal of extending the House's mandate, saying this is an outright jab to democracy.

As for the reason why a meeting between Ashton and Mansour had been cancelled, Abboud blamed it on "a conflict over prerogatives which are not clearly mentioned in the Taef Accord."

"This is what particularly caused the existing conflict between the Lebanese Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," he added.