Anti-Syrian Christian leader Michel Aoun, who returned from 14 years’ exile only five weeks ago, appeared poised to hand other anti-Syrian opposition groups a surprising defeat in Lebanese parliamentary elections, denying them the majority they had hoped to muster in their drive to end Syria’s political control.

Syrian special forces joined Lebanese troops today at a Lebanese air base near the Syrian border, and shouted “long live Bashar!” in homage to the Syrian leader, as they prepared for a farewell ceremony marking the end of Syria’s 29-year military involvement with its smaller neighbour.

ABOUT 2,000 Syrian troops have pulled out of eastern Lebanon over the past week, a senior Lebanese security source said yesterday, bringing Syria a step closer to ending its 29-year military domination of Lebanon.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday demanded that Syria withdraw all its troops from Lebanon before Lebanese parliamentary elections in April and May, marking the first time he has set a specific timetable for Damascus.

Syria’s army and intelligence agents completed the first phase of their pullback to eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley and Syria today.

SYRIA has withdrawn nearly a third of its troops from Lebanon, a senior officer said yesterday.

The withdrawal of Syrian troops to Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley will be completed by the end of March, the presidents of the neighbouring Mideast nations agreed today.

The withdrawal of Syrian troops to Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley will be completed by the end of March, the presidents of both countries agreed today.

President Bashar Assad, responding to weeks of intense pressure, announced today that Syria would move its troops to the Lebanese-Syrian border in a two-step pull-back that he said should satisfy international demands for a complete withdrawal.

Syrian President Bashar Assad was expected to announce today the pull-back of his troops in Lebanon closer to the Syrian border, but US counterpart George W Bush has rejected anything but a full withdrawal as insufficient.