Syrian intelligence will pull out of Lebanon along with Syrian troops, according to outgoing Deputy Premier, Issam Fares, Tuesday. Speaking during an interview on CNN, Fares said Syrian intelligence agents would not remain in the country after the troops had left. He said: "They all go together. The presence of the security people is to safeguard the presence of their troops. It was discussed that they will leave together." The discussion in question was Monday's meeting of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council (LSHC) in Damascus. Faced with persistent international pressure and vocal Lebanese opposition, Syria has pledged to redeploy its troops to Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley by March 31, then to the Syrian border later. Some 14,000 Syrian soldiers are currently deployed in Lebanon. The LSHC did not draw up a time for full Syrian troop withdrawal. Neither did it say whether Syrian intelligence would also leave, a key demand of the opposition.