Syria on Wednesday welcomed the US administration's decision to begin removing the country from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, calling the move an "important development" in bilateral relations.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry welcomed Washington's announcement following talks between President Ahmed al-Sharaa and US President Donald Trump in the Turkish capital Ankara. It also welcomed Trump's formal notification to Congress of his intention to rescind the designation.
The ministry said the move marked "an important development in the course of Syrian-US relations based on dialogue, mutual respect and shared interests."
It said removing the designation alongside the lifting of sanctions would boost prospects for an economic recovery, create conditions for reconstruction, encourage international trade and investment and support regional security and stability.
The ministry also expressed hope for continued constructive engagement with the United States to strengthen bilateral ties and advance peace, development and prosperity.
Earlier Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump had formally notified Congress of his administration's intention to rescind Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism after the required 45-day congressional notification period.
"This is yet another historic step by President Trump to give the Syrian people a chance at greatness," Rubio said in a statement.
"Lifting sanctions on Syria will unlock international trade and investment, give Syria a chance to rebuild, and open up a new chapter for the Syrian people," he added.
The announcement followed a meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, during which the US president said he was likely to remove Syria from the terrorism list.
Despite the lifting of most US sanctions following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, Syria has remained on Washington's list of state sponsors of terrorism since 1979, a designation widely viewed as one of the main remaining obstacles to the country's economic recovery.
