The US Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday lifted restrictions on Ecuadorean airlines flying to US airports by raising Ecuador's safety rating.

"The Federal Aviation Administration said it is upgrading Ecuador aviation security level to Category 1," the US Embassy in Quito said in a statement.

The decision to upgrade Ecuador from category 2 airline safety status came as US relations with the small Andean country have been strained over Quito's move to annul a contract held by a US oil company.

The FAA in 1995 gave Ecuador a Category 2 safety rating, which restricted Ecuadorean flights to the United States.

Airlines in countries under this status must lease aircraft from a Category 1 country to fly to US airports.

The FAA recently also raised Venezuela to Category 1 status after a bitter war of words between Washington and left-wing President Hugo Chavez. Venezuela was also given a Category 2 in 1995 due to safety concerns.