(BRUSSELS) - The European Union's foreign policy chief on Sunday called for restraint in the latest crisis between Chad and Sudan, in a statement issued by his office.

But Javier Solana said the crisis should be a trigger for a lasting solution to the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region.

Solana's statement was issued just hours after Sudan cut off diplomatic links with Chad, blaming its neighbour for a rebel attack on Saturday on the capital Khartoum.

"Javier Solana considers the latest events should provide the opportunity to trigger the strong impulse necessary to find a lasting solution to the crisis in Darfur," the statement read.

"This goes through a sincere resumption of the political process, the effective deployment of the hybrid force on the ground and the genuine improvement of relations between Sudan and neighbouring Chad."

A joint UN-African Union force in Darfur (UNAMID) has deployed 9,000 peacekeepers in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Sudan on Sunday severed diplomatic ties with Chad, accusing Ndjamena of backing a first Darfur rebel assault on Khartoum Saturday.

Chad said it regretted Khartoum's decision, denied any involvement in the attack and condemned a raid Saturday on the Chadian embassy in Khartoum.

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