A public opinion poll published yesterday shows 56 percent of Lebanese reject Syria's occupation of the country.

Only 40 percent said the presence of Syrian troops was "legitimate and provisional" – the terms favored by the country's puppet regime that serves at the pleasure of Damascus.

In addition, 69 percent of Lebanese oppose an extension or renewal of President Emile Lahoud's term in office and 90 percent reject the concept of Syria appointing the president of Lebanon.

The poll was conducted by the Beirut weekly Ash Shiraa, whose three consecutive polls in 1998 convinced the late Syrian President Hafez Assad to back then-army commanding Gen. Lahoud for Lebanon's top post.

Ash Shiraa's new poll was based on a sampling of 1,000 Lebanese, 550 Muslims and 450 Christians from various walks of life.

Rejecters of Syria appointing Lebanon's president included 92 percent of the Sunnis polled, 78 percent of the Shiites, 100 percent of the Druze, 97 percent of the Maronites and 96 percent of Christians in general.

Syria has had occupation troops in Lebanon for 29 years and currently maintains about 25,000 troops in the country.