Moscow, Aug 22 (IANS): The Syrian government is preparing for an immediate political dialogue with the opposition, according to Russian Foreign Ministry.

During his talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov here Tuesday, visiting Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil stressed that the preparedness of Damascus for "the immediate engagement in the joint work aimed at consent among all the Syrians", Xinhua quoted the foreign ministry as saying in a statement.

The two sides also exchanged views in details on the settlement to the 18-month long Syrian crisis, with both sides expressing the interest in an earliest end to the violence in the country.

"They stressed there was no alternative to the settlement based on the UN Security Council resolutions, the Kofi Annan plan and the Geneva agreements," the ministry said.

Both sides also expressed the hope that newly appointed UN- Arab League special envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi would carry out his mission on the basis of the coordinated roadmap of the Syrian settlement, it added.