Syria's foreign minister en route to Washington in first official trip to U.S. capital

DAMASCUS, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani was due to arrive in Washington on Thursday, in his first official trip to the U.S. capital since the Islamist new rulers took over Damascus last year, two sources familiar with the visit told Reuters.

During the visit, the first by a Syrian foreign minister to Washington in more than 25 years, Shibani would meet U.S. lawmakers to discuss the lifting of remaining U.S. sanctions on his country, Senator Lindsey Graham was quoted as saying by Axios.