Reacting to Damascus' goodwill for improving relations with the United States, the Obama administration said on Wednesday that Syria should play a positive role in the Middle East.
"Syria can play a role and a positive role in the region by trying to help bring peace and stability to the Middle East," said State Department Deputy Spokesman Gordon Duguid, adding that "I think the Syrians understand that they can do that."
The administration has still been reviewing its policy toward Syria, said Duguid.
Earlier on Wednesday, Syrian President Bashar Assad told US Senator Benjamin Cardin in Damascus that his country wants to improve relations with Washington after several years of tensions.
The President suggested improving the bilateral relationship through "serious and positive dialogue based on mutual respect and joint interest in finding just solutions to the region's problems."
Following the Cardin's visit to Syria, a US congressional delegation headed by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry would also visit the country, which has been viewed by Washington as a state sponsor of terrorism for nearly 30 years.
Kerry, who is in Lebanon for his Mideast tour, said on Wednesday that the Obama administration would press Damascus to stop sponsoring Lebanon's Hezbollah and Palestinian militant groups and to respect the political independence of Lebanon.
But he said the new administration would adopt a new approach to address the issues in the region.
"Unlike the Bush administration that believed you could simply tell people what to do and walk away and wait for them to do it, we believe you have to engage in a discussion," said Kerry after meeting with President Michel Sleiman.