BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 19 (UPI) -- Syria's departing military and intelligence chiefs in Lebanon paid farewell visits Tuesday to President Emile Lahoud and other senior officials.
Gen. Fayez Haffar, commander of Syrian forces, and Brig. Gen. Rustom Ghazaleh, head of Syrian military intelligence, had a meeting with Lahoud in Baabda presidential palace east of Beirut during which they reiterated Syria's support to Lebanon.
Lahoud asserted that "no pressures could weaken or shake the Lebanese people's keenness to maintain distinctive relations with Syria."
Lahoud also hailed the role that Syria has played in the past 29 years of its presence in Lebanon "in protecting this country's unity and averting its partitioning."
The two Syrian officers also visited Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud.
They are expected to pay a farewell visit also to Hezbollah's chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
Syria is expected to complete the withdrawal of its troops and intelligence personnel by the end of April in conformity with U.N. Security Council resolution 1559.
