Syria says it is willing to withdraw its troops from neighbouring Lebanon, after fifteen years of effective military occupation.

Amr Mussa, the head of the Arab League, said that Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian President, had assured him this morning that Syria was prepared to fulfil its obligations in the Taef accords that ended Lebanon's civil war in 1995.

Syria's change in stance, after ignoring years of international diplomatic pressure, comes as the Lebanese people themselves turn on their Syrian occupiers, blaming them for the assassination last week of their former prime minister, Rafik Hariri.

"During our meeting, President Assad expressed his firm desire, more than once, to continue implementing the Taef accord and to withdraw from Lebanon in keeping with this agreement," Mussa said after talks with Assad in Damascus.

"The Taef and withdrawal (from Lebanon) are part of Syrian policy. Steps in these matters will be taken shortly," Mussa added.

The Taef Accord which ended Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war called for Syria to start redeployments from Lebanon within two years of the conflict’s finish, but 14,000 Syrian troops are still stationed in key positions despite a number of partial withdrawals.

Tens of thousands of Lebanese opposition supporters took to the streets today, shouting insults at Syria and demanding the resignation of Lebanon's pro-Syrian government.

The demonstration in central Beirut marks a week since Mr Hariri's murder in a massive car bomb attack on his motorcade. At least 15 other people died in the bombing, including seven of Mr Hariri's bodyguards, and more than 100 were injured.

Beating drums and waving Lebanese flags, those of their own parties and portraits of past leaders assassinated during the 1975-90 civil war, the protesters gathered at the site where Hariri was killed on February 14.

"Syria out!" "We don’t want a parliament that acts as a doorkeeper for the Syrians," some yelled, competing with loud insults shouted against President Assad.

The protesters wore scarves of red and white, the colors of Lebanon’s flag, which have become the symbol of the opposition’s "independence uprising," described as a peaceful campaign to dislodge the pro-Syrian government and force the Syrian army out of Lebanon. Each demonstrator was also handed a red rose by organizers from student groups and opposition parties.

Some carried banners reading, "Independence," and chanted, "The government of puppets must fall" and "Enough blood, leave us alone".

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