DAMASCUS, March 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Saturday that the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon does not mean the absence of a Syrian role in Lebanon.

   "Everybody has a view that the withdrawal is a problem, but this is the simplest thing. Syria does not reject the principal of withdrawal," Assad told the parliament.

   "We do not want to stay in Lebanon," he said, adding that Syrian troops have begun the pullback process.

   Syrian troops will pull back to Bekaa valley in eastern Lebanon, he said, adding the influence of Syria over Lebanon does not depend on the deployment of troops.

   He also called for boosting bilateral ties through varying dimensions -- culture, the economy and education.

   Syria, a key power broker of Lebanon, has been mounting pressure to withdraw its 14,000 soldiers from Lebanon since the death of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri last month.  Enditem