American diplomats were in Syria today for the first time since the U.S. shut its embassy in Damascus in 2012.

They met with Syria's de facto new ruler Ahmed Al-S. and announced that the $10 million bounty the U.S.

placed on him would be removed.

Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf told reporters,

Alshara was committed to ensuring that terrorist

groups cannot pose a threat inside Syria or to other countries.

I would characterize the discussion as quite good, very productive, detailed, we ranged over a wide set of issues, domestic and external.

He came across as pragmatic.

It was a good first meeting.

We will judge by deeds, not just by words.

U.S. officials also said they're expanding their search for Austin Tice,

the American journalist who was kidnapped in Damascus 12 years ago.

For perspective, we turn now to Theodore Cotouf. He was U.S. ambassador to Syria during the George

W. Bush administration. Thanks for coming in. My pleasure.

Help us understand the significance of the U.S. dropping the $10 million bounty.

It had offered for the Syrian rebel leader whose forces

led to the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. Well, I think it's a very positive sign.

Ahmed al-Shara at one point was an Islamic stater. At another point, he was al-Qaeda.

Then he had his own offshoot in Syria, the Nusra front.

But he and the organization, Hayat Tahrir Hashem, seems to have evolved and recognized that they can't rule Syria, they can't govern Syria, without changing to some extent their Islamic or Islamist ideology

and being inclusive and much more tolerant,

because Syria is a mosaic of many minorities,

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