Photo taken on Nov. 11, 2004 shows the UN flag flying half-mast in the memory of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat outside the UN headquarters in New York. The UN General Assembly held a memorial session for veteran Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Thursday, with Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other speakers calling for continued international efforts to realize Arafat's dream of a Palestinian state living peacefully with Israel. (Xinhua Photo)

The UN General Assembly held a memorial session for veteran Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, with Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other speakers calling for continued international efforts to realize Arafat's dream of a Palestinian state living peacefully with Israel.

"Though President Arafat did not live to see the attainment of these goals, the world will continue to strive towards them," Annan told the session, referring to the goals laid out in the roadmap peace plan.

"Together with our partners, we will also continue our efforts to achieve the full implementation of the roadmap, as endorsed by the Security Council in its resolution 1515," he said.

"Our goal is the realization of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East ... This includes as its centerpiece the establishment of a sovereign, democratic, viable and contiguous Palestinian state, living side by side in peace with a secure Israel," he added.

The roadmap peace plan, drawn up by the UN, the European Union,the United States and Russia, envisions the realization of the two-state vision in 2005. But the plan has been stalled.

"Now that he has gone, both Israelis and Palestinians, and the friends of both peoples throughout the world, must make even greater efforts to bring about the peaceful realization of the Palestinian right of self-determination," Annan stressed.

Annan also promised to continue the UN's 55-year-long humanitarian operation in the occupied Palestinian territory. "We must and will continue that work, as long as the Palestinian people need our help."

Representatives of the Asian group and other nation groupings took the podium after Annan, echoing his appeal for international support for a lasting peace in the Middle East.

They praised Arafat, who died at 75 in a Paris hospital on Thursday, for his acceptance of the two-state vision by signing the Oslo accords in 1993.

"President Arafat was respected by the Palestinians and others as a leader who symbolized a long search for statehood and independence and led the Palestinians to the historical acceptanceof the principle of peaceful coexistence between Israel and a future Palestinian state," said the representative of New Zealand, on behalf of the group of Western European nations and other states.

"The Palestinian leadership for now have to shoulder the heavy burden and responsibility for carrying out that vision of two states living side by side in peace and security," he said. "The international community will provide every support it can to achieve this vision."

At the request of Annan, the General Assembly decided to treat Arafat as a head of state and the UN flag was lowered to half-mast Thursday in his memory, UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said. The spokesman said Annan had asked his special envoy for the Middle East Terje Roed-Larsen to attend Arafat's funeral in Cairo on Friday on his behalf.