by Nayla Razzouk
BEIRUT - Pro-Syrian Lebanese politician Omar Karameh agreed Thursday to return as Lebanon`s prime minister at the head of a national unity government, just ten days after quitting amid anti-Syrian mass street protests.
Karameh said he accepted his designation by Damascus protege President Emile Lahoud to form a government, despite the opposition`s anger at news of his return, and said that his opponents must take part. An opposition spokesman however immediately rejected the offer.
His appointment came as Syrian forces nearly completed their pullback from northern Lebanon on the third day of a redeployment under intense international pressure led by the United States for a full and immediate pullout.
The increased movements came on the eve of the arrival in Beirut and Damascus of UN special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen to press Syria to set a date for the withdrawal. of all its troops from Lebanon.
Karameh said "the current difficulties can only be confronted with a government of national unity, a salvation government," before quickly adding: "If I am the obstacle, then I will be ready to resign."
He said he could not "form a government from one political colour," and would start consultations with the opposition for the formation of the government on Monday.
"We are extending our hand, without conditions...everything is subject to discussion," he said, warning that "those who obstruct and do not accept (to join in) will bear the responsibility for the catastrophe."
However opposition spokesman MP Antoine Andrawos said: "We need a prime minister to head a government of national unity, and he does not represent national unity, he is a party" to the conflict.
The caretaker prime minister quit office 10 days ago under massive demonstrations following the February 14 assassination of his predecessor former premier Rafiq Hariri.
The opposition, which has blamed Hariri`s murder on the regime and its political masters in Damascus, did not put forward its own candidate for the premiership and has continued to call for the formation of a neutral transitional government to meet its demands.
They are demanding the truth about Hariri`s assassination, the resignation or sacking of the public prosecutor and security chiefs, and a pledge for a complete Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon.
Karameh`s return was described as "the climax of political insolence" by the top-selling An Nahar newspaper.
And opposition MPs had voiced dismay at the possible return of Karameh.
"The designation of prime minister Karameh who resigned does not show that there is a change of attitude but as a response to the opposition to say: `you have forced Karameh out, we will return him`," said opposition MP Ghazi Aridi.
"What the opposition is trying to do is to end the crisis in Lebanon ... the problem is not the problem of who is prime minister," he said.
In northern Lebanon, most of the 3,000 Syrian forces had nearly completed their withdrawal, although the six known intelligence services posts remained unchanged in the region, security sources said.
A total of 225 Syrian military trucks and vehicles, transporting troops and equipment, were seen crossing the Arida border crossing into Syria from northern Lebanon.
On mountains towering over Beirut, Syrian troops continued to retreat into the eastern Bekaa on the third day of the pullback operation which Lebanese Defence Minister Abdel Rahim Mrad said would take between a week and 10 days.
Calls for the pullout of Syrian troops, which have been in Lebanon for almost three decades, increased after Hariri`s assassination which sparked mass opposition protests and counter-demonstrations by the pro-Syrian camp.
Both the Lebanese government and Syrian authorities have denied involvement in Hariri`s death.
The Lebanese regime was bolstered on Tuesday by a massive pro-Syrian rally, led by the powerful Shiite Muslim movement Hezbollah which has fanned fears of sectarian tensions 15 years after Lebanon`s devastating civil war.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pledged on Monday to pull back his country`s remaining 14,000 troops and unknown number of intelligence forces in Lebanon towards the Bekaa in eastern Lebanon by the end of March.
But he stopped short of announcing a full and immediate withdrawal from the country as demanded by UN Security Council Resolution 1559, sponsored by the United States and France.
Syria`s ambassador to the United States nevertheless said on Tuesday that the troops would be out of Lebanon by May, when legislative elections are due to be held.

03/10/2005 11:24 GMT