Khartoum - Sudan is close to signing a "framework agreement" with Darfur's rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in neighbouring Chad, Sudanese state television reported on Friday, without giving details of the deal.

Any substantial deal between Khartoum and JEM would mark a significant breakthrough towards settling the seven-year conflict in Sudan's Darfur region.

JEM is widely thought to have the best armed insurgent force in the remote western region and in May 2008 launched an unprecedented attack on Khartoum. Past attempts to reach an agreement between the two sides have failed.