Bashir agrees to hold national conference

The government has agreed to hold a national reconciliation conference "to bring about unity, peace, freedom and progress" in the country, Sudanese television reported recently. It quoted President Omar Hassan al-Bashir as saying, on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the coup that brought him to power, that the government would seek to expand power-sharing and freedom. Meanwhile, Bashir inaugurated Sudan's first private sector oil refinery in the Khartoum suburb of al-Shajarah as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations, news agencies reported. The Concorp installation will refine some 10,000 barrels per day, AFP said.