U.S. to send ambassador to Syria

WASHINGTON, June 24 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama has decided nominate an ambassador to Syria, ending a four-year absence of a top U.S. envoy to the country, officials said.

"It's in our interests to have an ambassador in Syria, a senior Obama administration official told CNN Tuesday. "We have been having more and more discussions, and we need to have someone there to engage."

Imad Moustapha, Syria's ambassador to the United States, has been told of the decision, an official told the New York Times.

Obama has not selected a nominee for the post, the Times reported Wednesday. The new ambassador would have to be confirmed by the Senate.

"It's a reflection of Syria being a pivotal country in terms of achieving a comprehensive peace in the region," an official said.

The George W. Bush administration withdrew the ambassador to Syria in 2005 to protest the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Washington suspected Syria of being involved in the attack, a charge Syrian officials deny.

Since then, a charge d'affaires has been the highest-ranking American diplomat assigned to Damascus.