DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) – A U.S. Embassy official and Syria’s official news agency say the U.S. State Department has lifted an advisory warning American travelers of security concerns in Syria.

However, Syria remains on a U.S. list of countries supporting terrorism, a designation made in 1979. In a sign of warming ties, President Barack Obama announced this week that he would nominate a career diplomat to become the first U.S. ambassador to Damascus since 2005.

Syria’s official news agency SANA quoted a State Department official as saying the U.S. is lifting the travel warning for Syria.

An official at the U.S. Embassy confirmed the report Saturday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give official statements.