Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called for a Mideast peace conference in Moscow in autumn, while urging the United Nations to play a larger role in Iraq.

Putin, a supporter of the "road map" peace plan between Israel and Palestine, said he would discuss the peace conference proposal with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon during his visit to Israel late Wednesday.

"I am suggesting that we should convene a conference for all these countries concerned (with the Mideast peace process) and the Quartet, next autumn," Putin said at a conference with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Tuesday.

The Quartet includes Russia, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations.

Putin said foreign ministers of the quartet will meet in Moscow on May 8 to discuss the Middle East peace process.

The Palestinians have been pushing for international conferences and Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat welcomed Putin's offer.

Erekat noted the conference would come after completion of Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and said it could help push for a final peace deal.

"We need to specify the next steps, and an international conference would serve the purpose of resuming permanent status negotiations between the two parties," he said.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Israel wouldn't object to an international conference held under the terms of the road map, but indicated much needs to be done first.

"We don't have a problem with a conference ... but obviously we have not reached the second stage of the road map yet," Regev said.

Putin, in his landmark meeting with Mubarak, also indicated that Russia wants to see a timetable for the departure of US-led forces.

"There must be an agreement on the basis of a new constitution, and there must be an agreement on the timing and conditions for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq," said Putin, the first Russian leader to make a state visit to Egypt in 40 years.

Mubarak also said that "the United Nations should play a role in helping Iraq and in particular in rebuilding its constitutional and legislative institutions."

The two spoke to reporters after Mubarak's second session of talks with Putin, whose visit to Egypt was aimed at reviving Moscow's influence in the region.