Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US has begun the process of removing Syria from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.

In a statement, Rubio added that he alerted Congress on Wednesday of the administration’s intent to rescind Syria’s designation following a 45-day period - the amount of time required for congressional review.

He added that lifting sanctions on Syria would open the way for international trade and investment, allow Syria to rebuild, and open a new chapter for the Syrian people.

He also indicated that a stable and unified Syria, at peace with itself and its neighbours, would benefit not only the region but the entire world.

President Trump had informed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during their meeting in Ankara on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the NATO leaders' summit, of the decision to remove Syria from the US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.