List of ambassadors of the United States to Syria

The United States Ambassador to Syria is the official representative of the President of the United States to the President of Syria.

Ambassador of the United States to Syria
سفارة الولايات المتحدة في سورية
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Joel Rayburn
as Special Envoy
since July 2018[1]
NominatorThe President of the United States
Inaugural holderGeorge Wadsworth
as consul general
Formation1942
WebsiteU.S. Embassy - Damascus

From the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire in 1922 until 1944, had been under the control of France as a part of the League of Nations French Mandate of Syria and Lebanon. The United States appointed George Wadsworth as agent and consul general to Syria and Lebanon on October 9, 1942, to provide a quasi-diplomatic presence in Damascus until the United States determined that Syria achieved effective independence in 1944. The United States recognized Syria as an independent state on September 8, 1944, when the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jamil Mardam Bey, informed the United States that Syria fully recognized and would protect existing rights of the United States and its nationals. This Syrian assurance was in response to a letter sent on September 7, 1944, by the U.S. diplomatic agent and consul general in Syria that offered "full and unconditional recognition" upon receipt of such written assurances. The United States established diplomatic relations with Syria when George Wadsworth presented his credentials as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary on November 17, 1944. Wadsworth was concurrently the envoy to Syria and Lebanon while resident in Beirut.[2]

Egypt and Syria united to form a new state, the United Arab Republic (UAR) on February 22, 1958 with its capital in Cairo. The U. S. recognized the UAR and the embassy in Damascus was reclassified as a consulate general. Syria seceded from the Union in 1961 and U. S.–Syria diplomatic relations were reestablished on October 10, 1961. The consulate general was once again elevated to embassy status.[2]

Syria severed diplomatic relations with the U.S. on June 6, 1967 in the wake of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. In the interim a U.S. Interests Section in Syria was established on February 8, 1974, in the Italian Embassy with Thomas J. Scotes as Principal Officer. Normal relations were resumed in 1974.[2]

The U. S. recalled its ambassador to Syria in 2005 after the assassination of Rafic Hariri. A series of chargés d’affaires represented the U.S. until the appointment of Robert Stephen Ford in January 2011.[3]

Ambassadors and chiefs of mission
  • George Wadsworth – Career FSO[4]
    • Title: Diplomatic Agent/Consul General
    • Appointed: October 9, 1942
    • Presented credentials: —
    • Terminated mission: Promoted to Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary November 17, 1944
  • George Wadsworth – Career FSO[4]
    • Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: September 21, 1944
    • Presented credentials: November 17, 1944
    • Terminated mission: Left Damascus February 8, 1947
  • Paul Humiston Alling – Career FSO[5]
    • Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: April 10, 1947
  • James Hugh Keeley, Jr. – Career FSO
    • Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: October 8, 1947
    • Presented credentials: August 2, 1948
    • Terminated mission: Left post July 22, 1950
  • Cavendish W. Cannon – Career FSO
    • Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: September 20, 1950
    • Presented credentials: October 30, 1950
    • Terminated mission: Left post May 8, 1952
  • James S. Moose, Jr. – Career FSO
    • Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: June 25, 1952
    • Presented credentials: August 14, 1952
    • Terminated mission: Promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary September 30, 1952

Note: On September 30, 1952, the U.S. delegation in Damascus was upgraded to embassy status. This required a promotion and new commission for the envoy.[6]

  • James S. Moose, Jr. – Career FSO[7]
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: September 11, 1952
    • Presented credentials: September 30, 1952
    • Terminated mission: Left post June 30, 1957
  • Charles Yost – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: December 24, 1957
    • Presented credentials: January 16, 1958
    • Terminated mission: Embassy downgraded to consulate status, February 22, 1958

Note: Syria joined Egypt to form the United Arab Republic on February 22, 1958. The U.S. embassy in Damascus was downgraded to consulate status. After Syria seceded from the UAR, the consulate was reestablished as an embassy on October 10, 1961.

  • Ridgway B. Knight – Career FSO
    • Title: Chargé d'Affaires ad interim
    • Appointed: October 10, 1961
    • Presented credentials: —
    • Terminated mission: Promoted to Ambassador January 11, 1962
  • Ridgway B. Knight – Career FSO[8]
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: December 7, 1961
    • Presented credentials: January 11, 1962
    • Terminated mission: Left post May 27, 1965
  • Hugh H. Smythe – Political appointee
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: July 22, 1965
    • Presented credentials: October 28, 1965
    • Terminated mission: Left post Jun 8, 1967

Note: Syria severed diplomatic relations with the U.S. on June 6, 1967. Ambassador Smythe departed Syria two days later.

Note: The U.S. established an Interests Section on February 8, 1974 in the Italian embassy with Thomas J. Scotes as principal officer. The embassy in Damascus was reestablished on June 16, 1974, with Scotes as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.

  • Thomas J. Scotes – Career FSO
    • Title: Chargé d'Affaires ad interim
    • Appointed: June 16, 1974
    • Presented credentials: —
    • Terminated mission: Superseded by Ambassador Murphy, September 9, 1974
  • Richard W. Murphy – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: August 9, 1974
    • Presented credentials: September 9, 1974
    • Terminated mission: Left post April 23, 1978
  • Talcott W. Seelye – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: July 31, 1978
    • Presented credentials: September 17, 1978
    • Terminated mission: Left post August 31, 1981
  • Robert P. Paganelli – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: September 28, 1981
    • Presented credentials: November 12, 1981
    • Terminated mission: Left post June 13, 1984
  • William L. Eagleton, Jr. – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: October 4, 1984
    • Presented credentials: December 6, 1984
    • Terminated mission: Left post August 31, 1988
  • Edward Peter Djerejian – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: August 12, 1988
    • Presented credentials: October 2, 1988
    • Terminated mission: Left post July 25, 1991
  • Christopher W.S. Ross – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: August 2, 1991
    • Presented credentials: September 25, 1991
    • Terminated mission: Left post March 22, 1998
  • Ryan Crocker – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: June 29, 1998
    • Presented credentials: June 6, 1999
    • Terminated mission: Left post June 30, 2001
  • Theodore H. Kattouf – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: August 7, 2001
    • Presented credentials: January 12, 2002
    • Terminated mission: Left post August 23, 2003
  • Margaret Scobey – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: December 12, 2003
    • Presented credentials: January 10, 2004
    • Terminated mission: Left post February 16, 2005

Note: Ambassador Scobey was recalled "for urgent consultations" on February 15, 2005, after the assassination of Rafic Hariri. Several chargés represented the U.S. until January 2011.

  • Stephen A. Seche
    • Chargé d'Affaires a.i, 2005–2006
  • Michael H. Corbin
    • Chargé d'Affaires a.i, 2006–2008
  • Maura Connelly
    • Chargé d'Affaires a.i, 2008–2009
  • Charles F. (Chuck) Hunter
    • Chargé d'Affaires a.i, 2009–2011
  • Robert Stephen Ford – Career FSO[9][10]
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: December 29, 2010
    • Presented credentials: January 2010
    • Terminated mission: February 2014

Note: Syria severed diplomatic relations with United States in 2012 in response to its support of the Syrian rebels during the Syrian Civil War.

Note: The U.S. established an Interests Section on February 6, 2012 in the Polish Embassy in Damascus, until the Polish Embassy closed. Since March 1, 2013, a new Interests Section operates via the Government of the Czech Republic through its embassy in Damascus. Only emergency services for U.S. citizens are available. Neither U.S. passports nor visas to the United States can be issued in Damascus.

  • Daniel Rubinstein
    • Title: Special Envoy
    • Appointed: March 7, 2014
    • Terminated mission: July 27, 2015
  • Michael Ratney
    • Title: Special Envoy
    • Appointed: July 27, 2015
    • Terminated mission: January 20, 2017
  • Joel Rayburn
    • Title: Special Envoy
    • Appointed: July 2018

See also

References
  1. "The Secretary's Special Representative for Syria Engagement, Ambassador James Jeffrey, and Special Envoy for Syria, Joel Rayburn, Travel to Israel, Jordan, and Turkey". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  2. "Syria". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2011-08-27.
  3. "Background Note: Syria". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2011-08-27.
  4. Wadsworth was oncurrently commissioned to Syria and Lebanon while resident in Beirut.
  5. Alling was appointed and took the oath of office, but did not proceed to post. He was instead commissioned as the first Ambassador to Pakistan.
  6. "About the Embassy". United States Department of State, U.S. Embassy Damascus. Archived from the original on 2011-09-02. Retrieved 2011-08-27.
  7. Moose was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on Jun 4, 1953.
  8. Knight was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 30, 1962.
  9. "Obama nominates first US ambassador to Syria since 2005". BBC News. 17 February 2010.
  10. Recess appointment; expires at the end of 2011 unless confirmed by the Senate. "List of Ambassadorial Appointments". United States Foreign Service Association. August 19, 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-21.
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