Syrian troops to remain in Lebanon until at least April — official
"A senior Lebanese army officer said Sunday that 4,000 Syrian soldiers — more than a quarter of those serving in Lebanon just a week ago — are back in Syria, but he said a complete withdrawal is nearly a month away at the earliest."
"A Syrian Cabinet minister also indicated a "very fast timetable for withdrawal" was expected — with completion ahead of Lebanese parliamentary elections as US President George W. Bush demanded. Election dates have not yet been set, but voting was expected to begin in April."

"The elections will take place and I think the troops will move out of Lebanon probably before then," Bouthaina Shaaban, a Syrian Cabinet minister, told CNN. "I don't know how logistically possible it's going to be, but probably before then." In a flurry of diplomatic activity a day after meeting Assad, UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen held back-to-back meetings Sunday with top Lebanese officials to ensure the implementation of Security Council resolution demanding Syria's withdrawal."

FULL STORY at

http://www.jordantimes.com/mon/news/news4.htm

Syrian Troops Won't Completely Withdraw From Lebanon This Month

"Syrian troops will not withdraw completely from Lebanon until at least after an April 7 meeting between senior Syrian and Lebanese military officers to discuss their redeployment, Lebanon's foreign minister said Sunday."

FULL STORY at http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1110684072721