courageous leader Kuala Lumpur, Nov 12, SPA -- Non-aligned countries onFriday hailed Yasser Arafat a visionary and courageousleader, saying it was tragic that the Palestinian leaderdidn't see his dream of an independent Palestine staterealized. "For four decades, President Arafat was not only thestandard bearer and symbol of Palestinian nationalism, butwas the very embodiment of the Palestinian people's valiantstruggle for freedom and independence," Malaysia, whichchairs the 116-member Non-Aligned Movement, said in astatement. "In his long and unrelenting struggle to liberate hisbeloved Palestine, he was both a visionary and a courageousand pragmatic leader," the statement said, adding that itwas a tragedy that Arafat, who died Thursday in Paris,didn't see the birth of a Palestine state.--SPA1434 Local Time 1134 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/216937