U.S. slams Syria pullout plan

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The U.S. criticizes Syria's announcement that it will withdraw its forces in Lebanon in a two-step process, saying the troops "must withdraw completely and immediately."

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Many other world leaders have called for an immediate withdrawal of the 14,000 Syrian troops in Lebanon after Syrian President Bashar Assad said his country first would move its troops to the Bekaa Valley area, closer to the Syria-Lebanon border.

Assad, in a speech to Syria's parliament on Saturday, did not specify whether troops would be on the Syrian or Lebanese side of the border in the second stage of the withdrawal.

But Cabinet Minister Bouthaina Shaaban later told CNN the troops would leave Lebanon.

They "will be inside Syria -- they will not be inside Lebanon," she said. "But they are on the border."

Faced with growing opposition, the Syrian leader did not give a timetable for the withdrawal, but did say Lebanese and Syrian officials will meet next week to discuss the plan.

A statement from the U.S. State Department said the redeployment falls short and Syrian troops must leave at once.

U.S. President George W. Bush has repeatedly called for a full pullout, and said on Friday that when America and France say withdraw "we mean complete withdrawal, no half-hearted measures."

Commenting after Syria's announcement, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Darla Jordan said in a statement Assad's plans were "not enough."

"The international community has made clear that Syria must withdraw completely and immediately all of its military forces and intelligence services from Lebanon in accordance with [U.N. Security Council Resolution] 1559."

Resolution 1559, passed in 2004, calls for foreign forces to leave Lebanon and militias to disarm. Syria has had a military presence in Lebanon since the latter nation's civil war, which ended in 1990.

France, the co-sponsor with the United States of Resolution 1559, also indicated disappointment with Assad's speech.

"We ... expect him to fully withdraw his troops and services from Lebanon as soon as possible," a statement from the French Foreign Ministry said, according to The Associated Press.

Lebanese opposition figures said Assad's speech left other critical questions unanswered, including whether Syrian intelligence officials also would be pulled back.

Opposition leader Nassib Lahoud, in Beirut, told CNN the schedule for withdrawal "has to mean weeks, not years."

Still, he and other members of the opposition expressed hope that Assad's speech may have signaled a turning point.

Looking on the bright side, the European Union says Syria's plan to gradually pull troops out of Lebanon is a good start, "if it is a step towards a full withdrawal."

Assad's speech followed mounting international pressure and near daily protests in Lebanon that have drawn tens of thousands and led to the resignation of Lebanon's pro-Syrian government.

The demonstrations ballooned after the assassination last month of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the top opposition figure.

Assad argued his country was not trying to "save face," and already had been taking steps to implement international agreements calling for withdrawal by removing 26,000 troops.

At the completion of the withdrawal, he said, "We will have fulfilled requirements of the Taif agreement and implemented 1559."

The Taif agreement -- which Hariri spearheaded and was brokered by Arab leaders in 1989 -- called for Syrian forces to withdraw to the Bekaa Valley and eventually to pull out, along with intelligence personnel.

Assad argued that an immediate pullout from Lebanon could sacrifice stability in that country.

He appeared to put the decision about the speed of the withdrawal on the United Nations.

Addressing the world body directly, he said Syria's plan was for a "coordinated withdrawal," but added: "If you, as the U.N., think we should immediately withdraw, not withstanding any negative impact on Lebanon, you tell us, you decide."

A spokesman for Kofi Annan said the U.N. secretary-general will study Assad's speech carefully.

Annan has asked special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen to travel to Beirut and Damascus this week to talk with Lebanese and Syrian officials, Fred Eckhard said.