The United States is urging Lebanon to hold internationally monitored elections as scheduled in May. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Satterfield says such a vote could create a different political environment in Lebanon, whose politics have been dominated by Syria for three decades. Mr. Satterfield spoke Thursday in Beirut, where he is pushing for a Syrian timetable to withdraw its troops from Lebanon. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak says he believes Syria will release a precise timetable within a week. Syria has so far pulled out almost one-third of its troops since mass protests erupted after last month's assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. A U.N. fact-finding team says Lebanon's investigation into his killing is flawed and called for an independent, international probe.