WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has authorized a Saudi project to supply aerospace systems to Syria, in what was seen as the suspension of U.S. sanctions.   

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Bush aides had said Syria used passenger jets to ferry weapons from Iran to Hizbullah in Lebanon, Middle East Newsline reported.

"This was an issue that has been on the back-burner for a long time," a government source said.

The decision would allow Boeing to overhaul two 747s for the state-owned Syrian Arab Airlines. Boeing has contracted its Saudi-based venture, Alsalam Aircraft Co., to conduct the overhaul.

Commerce, however, argued that the repair of the Boeing 747s would prevent air accidents. The sources said the department said this would come within the definition of U.S. humanitarian exports to Damascus.

Syria has reported several U.S. measures to improve relations under the Obama administration. On Feb. 15, Syrian ambassador to the United States, Imad Mustafa, said the U.S. Treasury Department approved the transfer of $500,000 to a Syrian charity.

Mustafa's announcement came on the eve of the visit by a U.S. Senate delegation to Damascus. The delegation was headed by Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Sen. John Kerry, scheduled to meet President Bashir Assad.

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