A US Embassy official and Syria's official news agency say the US State Department has lifted an advisory warning American travellers of security concerns in Syria. However, Syria remains on a US list of countries supporting terrorism, a designation made in 1979.
In a sign of warming ties, President Barack Obama announced this week that he would nominate a career diplomat to become the first US ambassador to Damascus since 2005. Syria's official news agency SANA quoted a State Department official as saying the US is lifting the travel warning for Syria. An official at the US Embassy confirmed the report Saturday.