Washigtom, - Sudan and Darfur's most active rebel group have reached a tentative deal, amid hopes it could lead to talks on a peace deal in the war-torn region.

Khartoum and the Justice and Equality Movement agreed to sign a declaration of good intentions on Tuesday.

The deal - reached in Qatar includes an end to attacks on more than two million people in refugee camps and an exchange of prisoners, diplomats say.

However, other rebel groups are refusing to talk to the government.

The BBC's Africa editor, Martin Plaut, says that much more needs to be done to achieve peace in the region.

And hanging over any agreement is a proposed indictment from the International Criminal Court of Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir for alleged crimes.

The agreement between the Sudanese government and the Jem rebels was announced by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, whose country has been mediating talks under way since last Tuesday.

"There has been great progress," Sheikh Hamad told reporters in Doha.

"The content of the agreement, which will be signed tomorrow [Tuesday], has the agreement of all parties," he added.

Once the agreement is signed, small teams of negotiators will continue talks, the BBC's Africa editor says.

He says that by reaching this deal now, the government in Khartoum is signalling that it is moving on peace - under intense pressure from the international community.

A Jem spokesperson in London, Haroun Abdul Hami, told the BBC's World Today programme that "we all endorse the peace process".

"Qatar will be the base of the negotiations and also we are going to endorse the role of... the neighbouring countries of Sudan," Mr Hami continued.