U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Tuesday he held a very good phone conversation with his new Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fatah el Seisy, who promised to continue the U.S.-Egypt military-to-military ties.

"General el Seisy expressed his unwavering commitment to the U. S.-Egypt military-to-military relationship, which has been really an anchor of stability in the Middle East for more than 30 years," Panetta told reporters at a Pentagon news briefing, noting that Seisy is a highly experienced officer who was trained in the United States.

Seisy "stressed that he takes seriously Egypt's obligations under the Camp David treaty and he's committed to preventing the Sinai from becoming a staging area for militants," Panetta said.

The U.S. defense chief was referring to the peace treaty signed by Egypt with Israel in 1979, and the Aug. 5 attack by Islamic militants on an Egyptian military checkpoint on the Sinai Peninsula near the border with Israel, which killed 16 Egyptian soldiers.

Following the attack, newly-elected Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi ordered the retirement of the defense team, led by Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the defense minister and head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). The SCAF had ruled the country since former President Hosni Mubarak was ousted early last year amid a wave of popular protests.

The U.S., which provides 1.3 billion U.S. dollars in annual military aid to Egypt as reward for its peace-making efforts with Israel, Washington's closest ally in the region, has called on the Egyptian military and civilian leaders to work together to address the challenges facing the country and maintain peace with Israel.

"It is important for the Egyptian military and civilian leadership to work closely together to address the economic and security challenges facing Egypt," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters Monday while traveling with President Barack Obama during a campaign tour.

"We hope that President Morsi's announcements will serve the interests of the Egyptian people and maintain good relations with Egypt's neighbors," Carney said.

Panetta also said that he looks forward to working closely with his new Egyptian counterpart "to advance our shared goals in the region."