SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Nelson Mandela expressed hope that indigenous Australians and the rest of the country could reach a reconciliaton as the world turned its attention to Australia and the Sydney Games.

 Mandela, in Australia to open a pre-Olympic conference on the making of a champion, touched on one of the main issues in the country, the relationship between the indigenous and the rest of the nation.

 "I have confidence that you have men and women who are capable of resolving their own problems," Mandela said.

 Aborigines make up a small minority in Australian society.

 Aboriginal activists say they will stage high-profile protests during the Olympic Games to highlight their plight.