Damascus - US National Security Council member Daniel Shapiro arrived in Damascus on Saturday ahead of talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad scheduled for Sunday.

Shapiro was expected to be joined later Saturday by US President Barack Obama's special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, and Frederick Hof, Mitchell's advisor on Syria.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem has described Mitchell's planned visit as "the first step of dialogue".

Syria has "an integral role to play in reaching comprehensive peace," Mitchell said after meeting al-Assad in Damascus last month.

Al-Assad has since informally invited Obama to Damascus. US media have meanwhile reported that Washington is considering sending an ambassador to Damascus for the first time since former US president George W Bush withdrew his ambassador after the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri.

Asked about al-Assad's invitation on Friday, al-Moallem said that Syria had not yet extended a formal invitation to Obama, but that "Obama would be welcome to come if he wishes."

Shapiro was in Beirut on Friday, where he reaffirmed the US' support for Lebanon in meetings with the country's top politicians and discussed military aid with Defence Minister Elias Murr. (dpa)