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Power struggle in Turkmenistan

Tom Parfitt© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

Foreign states keenly watch gas-rich nation

Moscow: A power struggle for control of Turkmenistan has begun to unfold following the death of the gas-rich country's President Sapurmurat Niyazov.

The role of acting President should have been awarded to the head of Parliament, Ovezgeldy Atayev, but the National Security Council ruled him out, saying he had been charged with criminal offences, which were not specified. In his place, a Niyazov loyalist, Deputy Prime Minister Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, was appointed, to the condemnation of exiled Opposition leaders who are planning to return home.

Meanwhile, officials were preparing for the funeral of the former President, who died from a heart attack on Thursday. Niyazov (66), who was President-for-life and liked to be called Turkmenbashi (leader of all Turkmen) led the country for 21 years. He left no obvious successor.

Mr Berdymukhamedov, a former dentist who bears a striking resemblance to Niyazov, has said the People's Council, the country's highest legislative body, would set a date for presidential elections on December 26. Foreign states are greatly interested in events in Turkmenistan because of its vast natural gas reserves, the world's fifth largest.

One figure who it is thought could emerge as a leader is the powerful head of Niyazov's bodyguard, Akmurad Redzhepov. Niyazov's businessman son Murat has also been mentioned, although he lives in Vienna and is thought to be distant from Government circles.

Members of the political Opposition, which fled abroad to escape Niyazov's oppression, repeated their wish on Friday to return home and take part in elections. But one, Batyr Mukhamedov, told reporters that the authorities in Ashgabat had prevented a charter plane carrying Opposition members from landing in the Turkmen capital. —

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