South African President Thabo Mbeki Thursday stressed the role the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) can play in resolving conflicts.

Making a remark at the opening of the NAM foreign ministers' meeting in South African port city of Durban, Mbeki said only through cooperation can the world put an end to the myriad conflicts.

Mbeki cited the example of Palestine, saying the world must find a solution to the prolonged conflict in the middle-eastern hotbed.

NAM's Committee on Palestine just held a ministerial meeting Wednesday, and passed a document slamming Israel for building a 600-km separation wall, which in some parts cuts deep into the West Bank.

Mbeki also cited the example of Haiti, whose toppled president Bertrand Aristide is now seeking refuge in South Africa. The political turmoil in Haiti was settled with the combined efforts of developing nations in Africa and the Caribbean.

Mbeki said achieving peace and stability is one of the main challenges facing the developing nations, and is one of the questions "the powerful don't want to answer."

The 116-member NAM's one day foreign ministers' meeting, a "mid-term review" between the last heads of state and government summit in Malaysia last year and the next in Cuba in 2006, is to address the issue of renewed spirit of multilateralism and equality between rich and poor nations.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2004)