WESTFIELD, March 4: President George Bush on Friday demanded Syria's complete withdrawal from Lebanon by May. "When we say withdraw we mean complete withdrawal - no half-hearted measures," the US president said at an event in New Jersey promoting his Social Security plan.

His comments followed reports that Syrian President Bashar al Assad was expected to announce on Saturday a partial pullout of troops from Lebanon, with some leaving completely and the rest re deploying close to the border.

"Syrian troops, Syrian intelligence services must get out of Lebanon now," Mr Bush said. He said he was pleased a similar message was delivered to Mr Assad by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, a leader with close ties to Syria.

"We want democracy in Lebanon to succeed. And we know it cannot succeed so long as she is occupied by a foreign power," Mr Bush added. Mr Bush called in an interview published earlier for all Syrian forces to be out by May to clear the way for fair elections.

Abdel Halim Mrad, defence minister in the Syrian-backed Lebanese government which resigned on Monday, defended Syria's contemplated redeployment move, saying it would adhere to the Taif Accord which ended Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war.

"Syria will re deploy its forces in line with Taif," he said. The agreement stipulates Syrian forces be re deployed to the eastern Bekaa Valley, and then that the Lebanese and Syrian governments agree on how long these forces stay.

Syria has carried out five redeployments since 2000, pulling some forces to the Bekaa and some back to Syria, but has maintained forces in and around Beirut and in northern Lebanon. Pressure on Damascus has intensified since former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al Hariri was assassinated last month. Syria denies involvement.

While the pressure from Arab leaders is veiled, Western governments have become increasingly blunt. Officials in Washington said the United States and European allies wanted to be ready to act quickly, perhaps with sanctions and a tougher UN resolution, if Syria failed to pull out.

Mr Bush said in an interview in the New York Post: "This is non-negotiable. It is time to get out ... I think we've got a good chance to achieve that objective and to make sure that the May elections (in Lebanon) are fair. I don't think you can have fair elections with Syrian troops there."

British Foreign Minister Jack Straw told BBC radio on Friday that unless the Syrians pulled out "they will be treated as a pariah not just by the West but by most of their Arab neighbours". Mr Straw raised the possibility of more international peacekeepers being sent to Lebanon but ruled out the possibility of a military attack. -AFP/Reuters