Syria is expected to start a final pullback of its troops in Lebanon into the eastern Bekaa valley of the country.
Lebanese Defence Minister Abdel Rahim Mrad told journalists the decision had been taken to start the redeployment.
In a statement, Syria said today it was ready to work with the UN to implement a Security Council resolution requiring its troops to leave Lebanon.
International pressure on Syria to pull out its 14,000 troops and relinquish its political grip on Lebanon has increased since last week's assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri in Beirut.
The Taif Accord that ended Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war called for a redeployment of Syrian troops to eastern Lebanon, followed by agreement on a timetable for a full withdrawal.
The United States and France sponsored a UN resolution adopted in September that demanded a Syrian pullout.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed Terje Roed-Larsen as his special envoy to oversee implementation of the measure.
Mr Roed-Larsen said after talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as well as Lebanese government and opposition figures earlier this month that he was optimistic about the fulfilment of his assignment.
