BEIJING, Mar. 3 -- Lebanese opposition leaders have called for the withdrawal of all 14,000 Syrian troops stationed in Lebanon and the immediate resignation of Lebanese security chiefs.

They said the moves had to precede any talks with Syrian-backed President Emile Lahoud on forming a government.

    Prominent Druze leader Walid Jumblatt announced the list of demands after hosting a meeting of opposition groups to discuss a common strategy on Wednesday.

    Jumblatt said that democratic forces in Lebanon don't need foreign help.

    "We were not expecting and we don't expect the (US) Sixth Fleet or any other fleets to come to Lebanon. It's the will of the Lebanese people, and this popular revolt in Lebanon will have a backlash on all the Arab countries."

    Meanwhile US and European leaders have also called on Syria to pull out of Lebanon.

    US President George W Bush demanded in blunt terms that Syria get out of Lebanon and openly accused Damascus of interfering in Lebanese politics.

    He applauded the strong message sent to Syria when US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier held a joint news conference on London on Tuesday.

    " I applauded the press conference she had with the foreign minister from France, where both of them stood up and said loud and clear to Syria, 'you get your troops and your secret services out of Lebanon, so that good democracy has a chance to flourish.'"

    The US president's words amount to the strongest pressure to date on Syria from Washington.

    The Lebanese government resigned on Monday in the face of anti-Syrian protests.

    Prime Minister Omar Karami's government quit after two weeks of protests over the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

    Syria has kept a military presence in Lebanon since the end of the Lebanese civil war in 1990.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)