Washington has submitted to Damascus the name of its proposed new ambassador to Syria, the first since 2005, AP quoted the country's foreign minister as saying here today, in the latest step toward improving ties between the two nations. Washington withdrew its last ambassador to Damascus in 2005 following the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem told reporters that the «United States has nominated an ambassador» and «it is Syria's right to study this nomination.» The standard practice for diplomatic envoys is to send the name of the nominee to the host government for approval before it is officially submitted to the U.S. Senate for confirmation. -- SPA
