http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\12\28\story_28-12-2006_pg4_14
Turkmenistan opts for continuity of autocratic rule * Deputy Prime Minister Berdymukhammedov approved as main election candidate ASHGABAT: Turkmen authorities have opted for continuity after the death of longtime leader Saparmurat Niyazov, choosing as heir apparent a presidential loyalist likely to preserve the autocratic regime in this strategic Central Asian state, observers said on Wednesday. Deputy PM Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov was appointed caretaker president by the State Security Council in the hours after the death last Thursday of Niyazov, who ruled the country as uncontested leader for 21 years. On Tuesday, a meeting of the People's Council, the highest legal body in the country, unanimously approved Berdymukhammedov as the main candidate in elections set for February 11 and selected five other candidates. "It looks like Berdymukhammedov will become president. Another question is if he's going to be a puppet or if he is a more independent player," said Dosym Satpayev, an analyst at the Risk Assessment Group think-tank, based in neighbouring Kazakhstan. Analysts have said Turkmenistan's security apparatus, made up of the interior ministry, the MNB security service and the presidential guard, wields real power in the country and have played down calls by the exiled opposition for democratic reforms as unrealistic. "Those who stayed in their posts alive and unharmed in Ashgabat will divide up the cake of power between themselves and will not allow anyone else to have any of it," Arkady Dubnov, a Central Asia expert, wrote in Russia's Vremya Novostei newspaper. On Tuesday, Khudaiberdy Orazov, a former deputy prime minister of Turkmenistan and ex-governor of the Central Bank, who now leads the Watan (Homeland) opposition party and lives in Sweden, declared himself as a candidate in the presidential election. "So far, we can see they are not going to follow the path of democracy. To be honest, we did not expect an immediate change," said Nurmukhammed Khanamov, Turkmenistan's former ambassador to Turkey and now head of the Republican opposition party, living in Austria. Berdymukhammedov bears a close physical resemblance to Niyazov and was often shown by his side at official meetings. He also helped steer some of Niyazov's most repressive policies, such as the closure of all medical facilities in the countryside and the sacking of 15,000 medical workers because of budget cuts. Ordinary Turkmens in this tightly controlled state appeared unmoved by the prospect of pre-determined elections. Berdymukhammedov has repeatedly promised stability in Turkmenistan, located next to Iran and Afghanistan, and has vowed to follow the "democratic" course set by Niyazov. afp +++ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
