Solana is meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora in Beirut on Friday and with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Amir Peretz in Jerusalem on Saturday. Final discussions will be undertaken with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on Sunday.

"He is working for an end to hostilities and the launching of a process to create the political framework for a lasting solution," a statement from his office said. "This process will begin with the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution to end the hostilities," the statement added.

Still no united stance on Middle East by EU member countries

Despite repeated efforts to devise a united foreign policy, EU members states still have polarized opinions on how to move forward.

Attempts by a number of European countries -- Italy, Finland, Poland, Sweden and Spain -- to organize sending peacekeeping troops to Lebanon have been delayed by the indecisiveness of the 25 EU member states over how to proceed. Calls for an immediate end to hostilities by EU foreign ministers have been muffled by allies of the United States -- Britain, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and Denmark -- in an effort to maintain diplomatic relations.

No agreement at United Nations on ceasefire

Despite international frustrations, the UN is still struggling to find a common voice and the wording of a UN resolution has not yet been decided.

Food aid that was to be delivered to southern Lebanon on Tuesday was called off, following warnings by Israel there would be attacks on any vehicles south of the Litani River.

Turkey offers assistance as a mediator between EU and Middle East

Turkey offered on Thursday to help European Union efforts to end violence in the Middle East but declined to pledge troops for an international peacekeeping force in Lebanon, diplomatic sources said.

Turkey is one of Israel's few allies in the Middle East.

Turkey "could help in any aspect, if we were needed", a senior Turkish diplomat told journalists after a meeting of the country's foreign minister Abdullah Gül with his Finnish counterpart Erkki Tuomija.