Gulf Arab states and Russia expressed "different" views on the three-year conflict in Syria at a strategic dialogue in Kuwait City on Wednesday, both sides said.

Moscow is the most important foreign backer of President Bashar Assad. Gulf Arab states are among the leading backers of the rebels trying to oust him.

Speaker Nabih Berri revealed on Tuesday that he urged Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah to mediate between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia to end the political rift, pointing out that explosions in Lebanon aim at creating sectarian tension between its citizens.

“I called on all Gulf countries, in particular, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia,” Berri said in comments to the Kuwaiti al-Rai television.

Speaker Nabih Berri hoped that the new cabinet would receive parliament's vote of confidence to face many challenges, including terrorism, and would pave way for the resumption of the national dialogue.

“Lebanon now has a government which we hope it would complete its policy statement and receive parliament's vote of confidence to confront many challenges,” Berri said during a dinner banquet thrown in his honor by Lebanon's Ambassador to Kuwait.

Kuwaiti MPs are unlikely to vote on ratifying a Gulf security pact during the current legislative term, the parliament speaker said Sunday, amid concerns it would undermine constitutional freedoms.

Marzouk al-Ghanem told a press conference that a majority of MPs supporting and opposing the pact have called for delaying its ratification and that "no decision will be taken on it in the current parliamentary term" which closes at the end of June.

The United Arab Emirates have expelled eight Kuwaiti students from two universities for forming a union, collecting donations and holding unauthorised meetings, an higher education official said.

The expulsion is a rare move against students from a fellow Gulf country.

Fearful of Arab Spring-inspired unrest, Gulf monarchies have stepped up efforts to monitor and control the media, particularly online, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia, which is on the group's "Enemies of the Internet" list and ranks 164 out of 179 on its 2014 World Press Freedom Index, has been particularly aggressive in policing the Internet, including by arresting those who post critical articles or comments, it said.

Kuwait has described its relations with Tehran as "excellent" despite mounting tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, particularly over Syria, where the two regional powers support opposite sides.

Kuwait's relations with Iran are "excellent, historical and developing," the official KUNA news agency cited foreign ministry undersecretary Khaled al-Jarallah as saying late Tuesday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet his Gulf Arab counterparts on February 18 for talks expected to focus on the Syria conflict, a Kuwaiti official has said.

Foreign ministry undersecretary Khaled al-Jarallah said the Kuwait City talks, part of regular strategic meetings between the two sides, will discuss topics including the Syrian issue, the official KUNA news agency reported overnight Tuesday.

Despite the political deadlock in Lebanon, officials including Speaker Nabih Berri and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat are gearing up to head to foreign countries.

Jumblat had pointed out in comments published in al-Joumhouria newspaper on Wednesday that he has been “reincarnated before his death... and I will be in China currently until a breakthrough is achieved.”

A Kuwaiti MP Sunday proposed a draft law that would impose jail terms of up to 30 years on Kuwaiti jihadists fighting abroad, nearly a week after Saudi Arabia introduced similar penalties.

The bill, submitted by pro-government legislator Nabeel al-Fadhl, stipulates jail terms of between five and 20 years for Kuwaitis who travel abroad to fight, as well as those who encourage or support such activities in any way.