Ahmed Jibril of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command was quoted as saying in Beirut's daily As-Safir Monday that his group would not evacuate two positions south of Beirut and in the Bekaa valley in eastern Lebanon.

"Whoever believes that we will lay down arms is mistaken ... Let no one dream of that matter because it is still premature," Jibril said.

He called on the Lebanese government to remove a siege by the army on the PFLP-GC's positions in order to pave the way for dialogue.

"If the Lebanese government insists on maintaining the military measures around our positions, it will increase the risk of incidents between us," Jibril warned.  (UPI)