Putin offers help in U.N. Golan Heights

Israeli fire-fighters are trying to put out fires in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights Friday.

Authorities say the fires came from sectarian battles near the border with Syria.

Amid the tension along the border on Thursday Austria said it would withdraw its UN peacekeepers.

Now Russia says it is ready to help.

(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"Given the complicated situation in the Golan Heights, we could replace the leaving Austrian contingent in this region on the border between Israeli troops and the Syrian army. But this will happen, of course, only if the regional powers show interest, and if the U.N. secretary general asks us to do so."

Mark Lyall Grant, who serves as the British ambassador to the UN and is the currently Security Council president says it is something under review.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) MARK LYALL GRANT, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS (U.N.) AND CURRENT U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL PRESI