"He said he expects that he might travel, but he doesn't have a scheduled trip yet," the official said of Powell.

The official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, gave no indication when a formal announcement, if any, would be made.

Syria has been been accused of smuggling war materiel into Iraq, allowing foreign Islamic fighters, including members of Hezbollah, to cross its borders, and providing aid and comfort to former Saddam associates fleeing Baghdad as US troops establish control over the country.

On Monday, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Syria had conducted a chemical weapons test during the last 12 to 15 months, while Powell raised the possibility of diplomatic and economic sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation.

The absence of an official announcement notwithstanding, the Syrian ambassador to the United States, Rostom al-Zoubi, welcomed the possibility of the US secretary of state undertaking a diplomatic mission to Damascus.

"It is good news and it's a good step in the right direction because direct dialogue between us and the United States is better than to accuse from a far distance," said Zoubi, appearing on CNN's "Larry King Live" program.

Zoubi said the administration of President George W. Bush should stop what he termed a "campaign of accusations" against Syria because it will not serve either the interest of the United States or peace and stability in the Middle East.

"I like to say that Syria is always constructive and we look forward to see a constructive dialogue with the United States and instead of accusations and threats," the ambassador said.

Zoubi also firmly denied reports that that former top Iraqi intelligence official Faruq Hijazi and other members of the Iraqi elite had found refuge in Syria after the fall of Baghdad.

"I assure you ... that he is not there and that we will not accept anybody representing the former regime of Saddam Hussein," stressed the Syrian envoy, adding that Damascus has not had diplomatic relations with Iraq for a long time.

Zoubi said Syria's cooperation with the United States on counterterrorism had helped save many American lives, and that Damascus was ready to cooperate on Iraq.

"We are ready to work with an international body, together with the United States also, to ensure that the Iraqi people will choose their future by themselves and they will choose their government without an interference," he said.

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