Pressure Mounts on Syria to Withdraw from Lebanon

Pressure is continuing to mount on Syria to withdraw its 14,000 troops from Lebanon.

The issue is expected to dominate a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo Thursday, even though the matter is not officially on the agenda.

Wednesday, Lebanese opposition leaders demanded that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad formally announce the full withdrawal of Syrian troops and called for the resignation of Syrian-backed Lebanese security chiefs.

Earlier, President Bush said Syria must end is political domination of Beirut and withdraw its forces. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also pushed for a Syrian withdrawal in an interview with British radio.

Mr. al-Assad has said he will pull troops out of Lebanon, but has refused to give a timetable.