DAMASCUS, Syira, May 24 -- Syria welcomed Saturday the move by the Trump administration to ease sanctions imposed on the war-torn country, calling it a "positive step" to ease humanitarian and economic suffering.

A statement by the foreign ministry said Syria "extends its hand" to anyone that wants to cooperate with Damascus, on the condition that there is no intervention in the country's internal affairs, reports AP.

Saturday's statement came a day after the Trump administration granted Syria sweeping exemptions from sanctions in a major first step toward fulfilling the president's pledge to lift a half-century of penalties on a country shattered by 14 years of civil war.

A measure by the State Department waived for six months a tough...