The United States' newly-appointed Syria envoy said he believed peace between Syria and Israel was achievable as he made his first trip to Damascus on Thursday (May 29), praising the Islamist-led government and saying it was ready for dialog.

Thomas Barrack raised the American flag over the ambassador's residence for the first time since the U.S. embassy closed in 2012, underlining a rapid expansion of U.S. ties with Damascus since President Donald Trump unexpectedly announced the lifting of sanctions and met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

"Syria and Israel is a solvable problem. But it starts with a dialogue," Barrack told a small group of journalists in Damascus. "I’d say we need to start with just a non-aggression agreement, talk about boundaries and borders," he said.

Barrack, who is also U.S. ambassador to Turkey, was named as Syria's U.S. envoy on May 23 and is on his first official visit to the country.

The U.S. closed its embassy in Damascus in February 2012, nearly a year after protests against then-president Bashar al-Assad devolved into a violent conflict that went on to ravage Syria for more than a decade.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

1. U.S. ENVOY FOR SYRIA, THOMAS BARRACK, AND SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ASAAD AL-SHIBANI, OUTSIDE U.S. AMBASSADOR’S RESIDENCE IN DAMASCUS

2. STAFFER UNTYING U.S. FLAG

3. FLAG/ BARRACK RAISING THE U.S. FLAG / FLAG GOING UP POLE

4. BARRACK, AL SHIBANI AND OFFICALS POSING FOR PHOTO

5. U.S. FLAG ON POLE / BARRACK, SHIBANI AND COLLEAGUES STANDING UNDER FLAG

6. BARRACK GREETING CZECH REPUBLIC’S CHARGE D’AFFAIRES VITEZSLAV PIVONKA

7. VARIOUS OF BARRACK INSIDE U.S. AMBASSADOR’S RESIDENCE

8. (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) U.S. ENVOY FOR SYRIA, THOMAS BARRACK, SAYING:

"The President's vision [INTERPRETER TRANSLATING TO ARABIC] is we have to give this young (Syrian) government a chance [INTERPRETER TRANSLATING TO ARABIC] by not interfering, not interfering, [INTERPRETER TRANSLATING TO ARABIC] by not demanding, by not giving conditions, [INTERPRETER TRANSLATING TO ARABIC] by not imposing our culture on your culture."

9. BARRACK DURING NEWS BRIEFING

10. (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) U.S. ENVOY FOR SYRIA, THOMAS BARRACK, SAYING:

“President Trump empowered our brilliant military with one mission: [INTERPRETER TRANSLATING TO ARABIC] help the Syrian people and the region with de-ISIS. [INTERPRETER TRANSLATING TO ARABIC] They brilliantly accomplished 99% of that mission. [INTERPRETER TRANSLATING TO ARABIC] This president's goal is to enable the government, yeah, not to be the government.”

11. BARRACK

12. (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) U.S. ENVOY FOR SYRIA, THOMAS BARRACK, SAYING:

“Syria and Israel is a solvable problem. [INTERPRETER TRANSLATING TO ARABIC] But it starts with a dialogue.”

13. BARRACK’S HANDS

14. (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) U.S. ENVOY FOR SYRIA, THOMAS BARRACK, SAYING:

“We need to start with just a non-aggression agreement, [INTERPRETER TRANSLATING TO ARABIC] talk about boundaries and borders, [INTERPRETER TRANSLATING TO ARABIC] and start a new relationship with all of our neighbors.”

15. VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF AMBASSADOR’S RESIDENCE/ U.S. FLAG