10 February 2005	Thursday	30 Zilhaj 1425

RAMALLAH, Feb 9: Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas has dispatched a top aide to Lebanon for talks with Hezbollah leaders in a bid to stop them trying to wreck a Middle East ceasefire, political and security sources said on Wednesday.

Abdelfatah Hamayel, who served as a cabinet minister under Abbas during his time as prime minister in 2003, was expected to urge the Shia militia to stop funding attacks by militants amid fears that Hezbollah is trying to derail the fledgling peace process.

A senior member of the dominant Fatah faction, Abbas Zaki, was also due to travel to Lebanon next week, the sources said.

"Hezbollah are trying to increase the attacks through all the factions, not only through the Islamic parties, but through all the resistance groups including al-Aqsa and PFLP," a senior security source said on condition of anonymity.

A political source said that Hamayel would try and persuade the militia to give Abbas a chance to advance the peace process with Israel after a landmark summit on Tuesday.

"Abu Mazen's policy is to try and solve all problems through dialogue, he said, adding that Hamayel had left for Lebanon on Tuesday.

"He (Hamayel) will try and persuade them that what they are doing is not helpful and ask them to stop for the moment so we can see what happens."-AFP