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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Turkmen leader pledges stability |
| 2006-12-23 |
| Turkmenistan's interim leader says the country will remain "stable and calm" following the unexpected death of its authoritarian president. Saparmurat Niyazov, who ruled for 21 years, He leaves no designated successor and analysts are warning of a power struggle to fill the vacuum. The acting leader, Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, told state TV the government was "firmly in control". Mr Niyazov, who was made president-for-life in 1999, exercised almost total control over the resource-rich country through a cult of personality. In the capital, Ashgabat, shops were closed and flags flown at half-mast. Newspapers were entirely devoted to his death. A period of national mourning will continue until 30 December and security has been stepped up in the capital. Under the constitution, the Parliament chairman Ovezgeldy Atayev should have become the interim leader, but Mr Berdymukhamedov, the deputy prime minister, |
| Posted by:Fred |