Syria has called for "frank and constructive" dialogue with the United States, a day after George Bush signed a law that threatens diplomatic and economic sanctions against the Arab state.
The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said President Bashar al-Assad's talks with visiting US Congressmen "tackled relations between Syria and the United States and the necessity for establishing a clear, constructive and reasonable dialogue".
SANA said the US Homeland Security Committee delegation led by California Republican Christopher Cox also discussed combating terrorism and the Arab-Israeli peace process.
Washington accuses Syria of ignoring its requests to crack down on Palestinian and Lebanese guerrilla groups and has long included Syria on a list of states that sponsor terrorism.
The bill bars trade in items that could be used in weapons programmes until the administration certifies that Syria is not supporting terrorist groups, has withdrawn personnel from Lebanon, is not developing unconventional weapons and has secured its border with Iraq.
Syrian officials said the US law was futile and lacked justification.
"Concerning US companies...if they leave Syria it will not have any negative effect. We can continue the work without any effect," Oil Minister Ibrahim Haddad told journalists in Cairo.
Syria's state-run radio said the new law would be "an obstacle in the face of the promotion of Syrian-US ties" and warned that it "might only result in more tensions instead of searching for common factors to achieve stability".
The tough US stance contrasts with that of the European Union, which announced a breakthrough in talks to agree a political and economic cooperation pact earlier this week.
A spokesman for the EU's executive Commission said the agreement would give it a platform to discuss terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and human rights with Damascus.