Rule reminder
The condizionale di rumor (also called condizionale giornalistico) uses the conditional tense to signal that information is not confirmed. 'Il premier avrebbe firmato il decreto' = 'The prime minister allegedly signed the decree / reportedly signed the decree.' This is a key feature that distinguishes professional Italian journalism from simple reporting of facts.
The phrase 'I due paesi sarebbero vicini a un accordo' means: