The French assembly has observed a minute's silence in honour of New Caledonia's Jacques Lafleur who died last Saturday in Australia aged 78.
Mr Lafleur had been a member of the French assembly for 29 years until 2007.
He is to be buried on Friday, with the assembly sending its vice-president, Marc Laffineur, to the funeral in Noumea.
Mr Lafleur's body is due to be flown from Australia to New Caledonia later today.