Syria to start troop pull-out on Monday

BEIRUT - Syria will start pulling back its forces in Lebanon on Monday, it has confirmed.

Under intense international pressure, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had announced plans for a complete withdrawal of troops from Lebanon but said Damascus would continue to play a role in its neighbour's affairs.

On Sunday local time, Lebanese Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Mrad said: "The withdrawal starts tomorrow."

He said the Syrians would pull back from northern Lebanon and Mount Lebanon in accordance with the Taif Accord that ended Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war.

Mrad said on Sunday the pullback would start immediately after a meeting in Damascus between leaders of both countries to approve Assad's plan for a swift two-phased withdrawal.

The United States has been wary of Assad's plans. The White House said that, with its allies, it would not stand by if Assad takes "half measures" in Lebanon, promising to step up pressure for a complete and immediate withdrawal.

"The international community is not going to stand by and let Assad continue to have these kind of half measures," White House counsellor Dan Bartlett said.

He said a withdrawal timetable could be worked out if Assad commits to removing all troops and secret services and indicated this must be done before elections expected in Lebanon in May.

"I don't think there could be a scenario in which there could be a real, truly free and fair election with a Syrian presence continuing to have an intimidation factor in Lebanon, " Bartlett said.

Syrian secret services and intelligence officials in Lebanon "really keep the clamp of fear in the Lebanese people," he said.

US President George W. Bush is considering new unilateral sanctions, including freezing Syrian assets, US officials say, and Washington was discussing "next steps" with European allies.

Syria has been in Lebanon since intervening in the civil war in the 1970s and has some 14,000 troops there, down from 40,000.

Damascus has come under growing Lebanese, Arab and wider pressure to withdraw its forces since the assassination last month of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. Many pointed the finger at Syria, which denies any role in the killing.

- REUTERS