Following the violence over the weekend, that has seen two people killed and more than a dozen injured after clashes between Sunni and Shi'ite gunmen in Lebanon. Following the funeral of Brigadier General Wissam al-Hassan,a prominent investigator and anti-Assad campaigner who was killed by a car bomb in a busy street in rush hour, on Friday in Lebanon.

Anti-government protesters called on the Prime Minister Najib Mikati to resign and stop the country sliding into chaos

Mikati had expressed his willingness to quit, but is reported to have stayed on following a request from President Michel Suleiman.

Despite my insistence on not hanging on to my position, the President has asked me to give him some time to hold national talks. So I am suspending my decision until I recieve a response from the President but I insist that I am not holding on to my position as prime minister. I am also aware that this situation calls upon us to take a national stance.''

In response to the death of Brigadier al-Hassan A US spokeswoman said in a statement that 'Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has confirmed her country's "firm commitment to Lebanon's stability, independence, sovereignty and security" and to Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Written and Presented by Ann Salter