Syria's economy minister said Sunday Damascus wanted dialogue with Washington and urged the U.S. administration to reconsider plans to slap sanctions on Syria for backing Palestinian and Lebanese armed groups. "We hope that the administration would reconsider," Ghassan al-Rifai said. "There is nothing better than dialogue. Dialogue in my opinion and patience and understanding are always the answer to conflicts." Rifai said sanctions could also harm the interests of U.S. firms that have contracts with the Arab state mainly in the oil industry. Congressional officials said Friday that the administration of President Bush planned to impose sanctions against Damascus within weeks for supporting the factions it sees as "terror" groups. Several U.S. sources have said that the White House was leaning toward imposing economic rather than diplomatic sanctions under legislation signed by Bush in December. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. (Jack Dabaghian/Reuters)