"The arms we are to supply to Syria are of a purely defensive character and we are ready if needs be to allow Israeli experts to verify the equipment does not endanger the security of their country," he told Israeli public television.

"I can promise you that Russia has done nothing and will do nothing which could harm the interests or security of Israel," said Ivanov, in Jerusalem for the opening of a new Holocaust museum on Tuesday.

Russia has said the new air defence missile system it proposes to sell to Syria is only for close-range use and will not upset the military balance in the Middle East.

All rights reserved. � 2005 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.