TALLINN, Estonia, April 22, 2010, SPA -- The Obama administration is still committed to improving relations with Syria, AP qouted U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as saying on Thursday. Speaking at a news conference before the opening of a NATO foreign ministers meeting in this Baltic capital, Clinton said the administration has concluded that the benefits of sending a U.S. ambassador to Damascus _ after a five-year absence _ outweigh the costs. «The larger question as to what the United States will do with respect to Syria is one we've spent a lot of time considering and debating inside the administration,» she said. «Where we are as of today is that we believe it is important to continue the process to return an ambassador. She said the presence of an ambassador gives Washington a better insight into what is happening in Damascus. «We have a long list of areas that we have discussed with the Syrians and we intend to continue pushing our concerns, and we think having an ambassador there adds to the ability to convey that message strongly and hopefully influence behavior in Syria,» she said. -- SPA 22:53 LOCAL TIME 19:53 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/772569