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August 27, 1952: the United States elevates its legation in Syria to embassy status. U.S. Minister James S. Moose Jr. is promoted to ambassador on September 11.

December 18, 1952: Syrian Ambassador Farid Zeineddine presents his credentials in Washington.

August 1957: as a result of a failed coup planned by the CIA to topple Syrian President Adib Al-Shishakli, Syria asks the US Ambassador James S. Moose to leave Damascus and Farid Zain Al-Din is recalled back to Syria.

1967: US-Syrian relations severed after Israeli attack on Syria and Egypt and its annexation of the Golan Heights and Suez Canal.

June 1974: U.S.-Syrian relations resume following the achievement of the Syrian-Israeli disengagement agreement.  President Nixon visits Damascus on an official trip.

May 1977: President Hafez Assad meets President James Carter.

1989: The U.S. and Syria consult closely on the Taiff Accord, ending the civil war in Lebanon.

August 1990: US and Syrian forces fight side-by-side in the Gulf War to liberate Kuwait from Saddam Hussein’s invasion.

Between 1990 and 1996, secretaries of state James Baker and Warren Christopher go to Syria for top-level meetings a total of around 40 times, according to the State Department historian's office.

January 1994: President Clinton meets with President Assad in Geneva. 

October 1994: President Clinton meets with President Assad in Syria for more talks regarding the peace process.

September 12, 1997: Madeleine Albright meets with President Assad in Damascus.

September 4, 1999 Madeleine Albright discusses the Israeli-Palestinian peace process with President Assad and Foreign Minister Sharaa in Damascus.

December 1999: Peace talks between Israel and Syria resume and continue into January 2000 after a lapse of more than three years.

December 7, 1999: Madeline Albright meets with President Assad and Foreign Minister Sharaa to discuss prospects for peace.

March 2000: President Clinton meets with President Hafez Assad in Geneva, the first such meeting since 1994. The talks broke down over Israel's refusal to give a prior commitment to withdraw from the entire Golan Heights.  After three hours of face-to-face negotiations, the meeting failed to yield an agreement to restart negotiations between Israel and Syria.