Visiting European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Sunday that the EU will work with the Egyptian leadership to come up with a common stance on solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict under international sponsorship.

"I hope that we can move a little step in the right direction and next time will be a big one," Solana said at a press conference after meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu Gheit.

As for Israel, Solana called on the Jewish country to accept peace as a guarantee to its security.

"What is important is that Israelis are to get convinced that their own security will be better guaranteed with peace," Solana said.

"The Israeli strategic problems will be served better if there is peace and the global security in the region will be served better if there is peace," he added.

Netanyahu, the hawkish Israeli prime minister, will deliver a public speech Sunday evening to outline his policies towards the Mideast peace process.

So far, he has been refusing the calls of the United States to abide by Israel's commitments in the first phase of the Road Map.

For his part, Abu Gheit said a comprehensive proposal is required to persuade both the Palestinians and Israelis to start the negotiations under international sponsorship, otherwise "we will see a 10-20 years setback."

"The Egyptian stance is very close to the European one, and we reiterated to the Europeans the Egyptian view about 'End Game' policy," which means Israel should immediately make a peace settlement, Abu Gheit said.

(Xinhua News Agency June 15, 2009)