Lebanese troops advanced towards fortified positions of Islamist gunmen at a Palestinian refugee camp on Wednesday in what political sources said was the start of a final assault to root out the gunmen.

Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib and his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Wednesday held intensive talks here over the Arab peace plan and called for a rapid timetable for talks with the Palestinians over statehood.

King Abdullah on Tuesday urged the US to intensify its efforts in the coming weeks and months to boost the Middle East peace process.