TAIPEI - Student protest leaders Monday announced that they would retreat from the chamber of Taiwan's legislative building at 6 pm Thursday.

The promised withdrawal will end the prolonged standoff between the Taiwan authority and hundreds of students, who have occupied the legislative building in Taipei since March 18 in protest of a cross-Straits service trade pact.

The student leaders said the protest had met its goals, including the call for legalizing the scrutiny mechanism on future cross-Straits agreements. They did not mention rejection of the pact, a demand they had insisted but disagreed by the authority.

The students' withdrawal decision came amid mounting opposition from other sectors of the Taiwan people. A total of 126 trade unions have signed a petition urging the students to go back to school and drop their fear of the pact.

Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou welcomed the students' decision to leave the legislative chamber and allow the legislative authority to resume operation.

Ma said that the service pact has been returned to committees under the legislative authority for detailed reviews. The law on the scrutiny mechanism has also been drafted and sent to the legislative authority for reviews.