US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has had talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during her two-day trip to Damascus.
US President George W Bush said Ms Pelosi's visit sent 'mixed signals' that harmed his administration's efforts to isolate Mr Assad's regime over its alleged support for terrorism and accusations of meddling in Iraq and Lebanon.
Ms Pelosi is the most senior US official to visit Damascus in years. She insists her talks are aimed at securing a Syrian role in the fight against terror and resolving regional crises.
Syrian media welcomed the visit as an effort to relaunch dialogue and said it was essential to solving crises in neighbouring Lebanon and Iraq and reviving the Arab-Israeli peace process.
The Democratic Party Congresswoman has said she wants to discuss the role of Syria in the Middle East and build confidence between US and Syrian officials.
Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad said Ms Pelosi's visit was good for the Middle East.
And Ms Pelosi shrugged off the criticism, pointing out that Republican members of Congress have also visited Syria.
