Assad Announces Lebanon Troop Withdrawal

DAMASCUS, Syria — President Bashar Assad, responding to weeks of intense pressure, announced Saturday that Syria would move its troops to the Lebanese-Syrian border in a two-step pullback that he said should satisfy international demands for a complete pullout.

"Our way is a gradual and organized withdrawal," he told the parliament, adding that Syria has "an interest" in withdrawing from Lebanon.

He said he had agreed with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud to hold a meeting of the Syrian-Lebanese leaderships this week to approve the withdrawal plan.

More ...