Vladimir Putin today shrugged off accusations that he was destabilising the Middle East by selling missiles to Syria.

On a visit to the region, the Russian President was accused by Israeli leaders of endangering Israel’s security through military and nuclear deals with its enemies.

Mr Putin told a news conference in Jerusalem that Russia’s supply of components to Iran’s nuclear programme and sale of anti-aircraft missiles to Syria posed no danger to the Jewish state.

He did however urge Iran to do more to demonstrate that it was not attempting to use its Russian-bought hardware in an attempt to build atomic weapons.

He also committed himself to fighting anti-Semitism and prejudice in Russia.

Mr Putin spoke during a two-day visit to Israel, the first by a Russian or Soviet leader. He met Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and held talks and a joint news conference with President Moshe Katsav.

Mr Sharon, whose parents were born in Russia, welcomed Mr Putin to Israel with a greeting in his own language and told him he should "feel among brothers".

"Regarding Iran, we are working to make sure their nuclear ability is used for peaceful means," Mr Putin told the news conference.

"The agreement with Iran requires it to return all its spent nuclear fuel to Russia so it cannot be used for military purposes.

"I agree that these steps are not enough and we have to get Iran to agree to nuclear inspections. It is necessary for our Iranian partners to reject the creation of nuclear cycle technology and not hinder placing all its nuclear program under complete international control."

Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Vice Premier, said that the components sold by Russia to Iran could be used to make non-conventional weapons, and that the assistance is a cause of concern.

Earlier in the day, Kamal Kharrazi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, announced in the Hague that his country will resume its uranium enrichment program - temporarily suspended in November - if talks with European nations this week fail.

President Putin also sought to allay concerns about the Syrian arms deal, saying the missiles should pose no threat to Israel.

"The missiles we are providing to Syria are short-range anti-aircraft missiles that cannot reach Israeli territory," he said. "To come with in their range, you would have to attack Syria. Do you want to do that?"

The Russian leader added that he had personally vetoed the sale of longer-range missiles to Syria out of concern for Israel’s safety. Prime Minister Sharon has said repeatedly that the missiles are a threat to Israel and has urged Mr Putin to prevent the sale.

Presidents Putin and Katsav also unveiled a memorial donated by Russia to the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust. The Russian sculpture, by Zurab Tseretel, depicts six nude figures, one a small child, standing in a circle surrounded by barbed wire.

Mr Putin said he would do everything possible to uproot the phenomenon of anti-Semitism and prejudice. "In the 21st Century, there can be no place for xenophobia, anti-Semitism or other forms of racial or religious intolerance," he said. "This is not only our debt to the millions who died in the gas chambers, it is our duty to future generations."

On the eve of his visit, Mr Putin had caused controversy by proposing a Middle East peace conference in Moscow in the autumn.

The suggestion was welcomed by the Palestinian leadership but rejected as both premature by both Israel and the United States. Mr Putin will meet the Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah tomorrow.

Javier Solana, the EU Foreign Secretary, today said that such a conference was explicitly called for in the diplomatic roadmap to Middle East peace, but he was cautious about the dates put forward by Mr Putin. "I cannot say that (it) will be in the autumn, or what month of the year, or what month next year," he said.

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