In a message to Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said Arafat's death is a "sorrowful and meaningful" loss. He asked Qurei to convey his sympathies to Arafat's family, the Palestinian authorities and people.

Zapatero reiterated his country's support for "the future of peace and justice" of the Palestinian people and the Middle East.

Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio and Prime Minister Pedro Santana Lopes also mourned the death of Arafat.

Sampaio said Arafat will make people bear in mind a principle that the Palestinians have the right to decide the destiny of their own country.

Portugal will continue to back the just cause of the Palestinians and hope for a peaceful settlement to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Lopes hailed Arafat as "a fighter for the cause he believed in:the liberty and independence of his people." He hoped the Palestinians will independently choose a leader to go along the way to peace.

Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski, Hungarian Prime Minister Gyurcsany Ferenc and Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano also offered their condolences.

In a message to Palestinian Acting President Rawhi Fattuh, Kwasniewski said Arafat's death is a great loss not only for the Palestinians, but also for the international community.

His death provides an opportunity to infuse new factors into the Middle East peace process, the Polish leader told reporters.

Gyurcsany expressed hope in a statement that the historical goal that Arafat was after -- an independent Palestinian state --can be reached in the near future.

Albanian Prime Minister Nano considered Arafat an active and irreplaceable factor in all stages of the Middle East peace process. He described Arafat as a great Palestinian leader and one of the symbols of national identity.

Portuguese Foreign Minister Antonio Monteiro, Polish Senate Speaker Longin Hieronim Pastusiak and Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Namik Dokle will attend Arafat's funeral in Cairo, on behalf of their countries.

Arafat, 75, died at 3:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) Thursday at a French military hospital, where he had received medical treatment since Oct. 29.