ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday called for calm in the Middle East but said the situation was still under control.

    "The main thing now is to stop the worsening of the conflict and not allow extremists to bring chaos to the region and to prevent a wider conflict," Putin told a press conference at the end of the three-day G8 summit.

    "But (the situation) is under control, there's no doubt about that," he added.

    The Russian president urged the return of two Israeli soldiers, saying "we would very much like to see the speedy return of the kidnapped and a stop to the bloodshed."

    "But I am also not confident that the return of soldiers will stop the conflict," said the G8 summit host.

    Putin declined to confirm whether Russia would participate in international stabilization forces in the Middle East, saying it is too early to discuss.

    He also said that it was only for the United Nation's Security Council to decide whether sending international peacekeeping forces to Lebanon.

    "And it also requires the consent of all countries involved in the conflict," he said. Enditem