An independent Scotland could become a global peacemaker, First Minister Alex Salmond suggested yesterday.

He believes Scotland could play a significant role in international conflict resolution, building on the sense of goodwill towards the nation from around the globe.

"Real leadership is not just about winning conflict, it is about having a strategy to defuse it," he said in the inaugural talk on Scotland in the World Forum series being organised by Aberdeen University.

"Resolution of conflict is harder, more subtle. More difficult. But it is an area where Scotland can excel. One only needs to look to the efforts of our Nordic friends in a range of such conflict situations to see the extent of what can be achieved," he went on.

He said global citizenship was about commitment to safety and security around the world.

"For me, therefore, Scottish independence is not just an opportunity to move Scotland forward but a chance for Scotland to give something back - to meet our global responsibilities."

In a separate launch yesterday, the government said it wanted to encourage more overseas firms to use Scotland's legal brains.

Business and legal experts meeting in Edinburgh have been asked by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to find ways of making Scotland "the jurisdiction of choice"

for solving disputes and going to court.