Following a partial redeployment, "a full withdrawal ... will take place at the start of next year at the latest," the French-language daily L'Orient Le Jour said, quoting political sources.

The respected An-Nahar newspaper gave a similar account.

Syria has carried out several pullbacks from Lebanon over the past three years, with the latest taking place in February. Since 2000, the number of Syrian soldiers in Lebanon has dropped from 35,000 to less than 20,000.

The newspaper reports said Lebanese and Syrian authorities would ensure the total pullout takes place with Syria's influence in Lebanon kept intact.

Implementation of the wide-ranging "fraternity and cooperation" treaty signed by Lebanon and Syria in 1991 would "substitute the Syrian military presence", according to the reports.

Under a defence and security protocol, the two countries have the right to intervene in their neighbouring state in case of foreign aggression or domestic threat, Orient Le Jour noted.

"A Syrian withdrawal would take away a pressure point from the Americans" but without a fundamental change on the ground "since the Syrian influence would not be affected", it said.

Syrian troops intervened in 1986 in Lebanon, with Arab League backing, during the country's civil war. The Taif accord in 1989 that ended the war legalised the presence, which is rejected by Lebanon's Christian opposition.

Under the accord, Damascus was to redeploy its troops to eastern Lebanon in 1992. But it does not lay down a timeline for a full withdrawal, leaving it for discussion between Damascus and Beirut.

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