A veteran New Caledonian pro-independence politician, Leopold Joredie, has died in Noumea aged 66.
He was member of the Caledonian Union and became the territory's first vice-president after the signing of the 1998 Noumea Accord on greater autonomy.
Leopold Joredie had earlier been the first president of the northern province in 1989.
He was a close associate of the main independence leader, Jean-Marie Tjibaou, who was assassinated in 1989, but disagreed with his stance to reach a settlement with the rival pro-French side.
