Khaberni - The administration of US President Donald Trump has informed Congress that it intends to move forward with plans to reopen the United States Embassy in Damascus, which was closed in 2012.
An announcement addressed to Congressional committees earlier this month, which the Associated Press obtained a copy of, stated that the State Department informed lawmakers of the "intention to implement a phased approach to resume embassy operations in Syria.
The notice dated February 10, indicated that spending on reopening plans will begin within 15 days, i.e., next week, without specifying a timeline for completing these plans or for the full return of American personnel to Damascus.
The administration has been considering reopening the embassy since last year, and this issue has been a priority for the US envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack.
Trump told reporters on Friday: "President Ahmed Al-Shar'a is doing 'a great job,' and Syria 'has started to consolidate and come together very well.'
In May of last year, Barrack visited Damascus and raised the American flag at the US Ambassador's residence, in the presence of the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Asaad Al-Sheibani.
