Syria starts today redeployment of its forces in Lebanon

The resigned Lebanese minister of defense Abdul Rahim Murad announced that the Syrian withdrawal to the Bekaa will start today, Monday, following a meeting for the Lebanese- Syrian Higher council in Damascus under the chairmanship of President Bashar al-Assad and President Emil Lahoud.

The council also includes the two states' prime ministers and foreign ministers and defense. Al-Assad and Lahoud will discuss in Damascus steps of the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon on two phases.

Lahoud told al-Jazeera TV on Sunday that the two military leaderships will hold lengthy meetings to specify the time for the withdrawal and areas where the redeployment will be made to the Bekaa. He added mechanism will be specified later for the second phase of the Syrian withdrawal from the Bekaa to the Syrian- Lebanese borders..