Death of Turkmen President Niyazov

COMM FILE The President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov during his meeting with the Prime-Minister of Ukraine Yury Yekhanurov in Ashkhabad (Turkmenistan) on Wednesday, October, 26, 2005. In the night of December, 20-21, 2006 Niyazov died fron sudden cardiac arrest. He was 66 and has been a permanent leader of Turkmenistan for 20 years. In 1990 during national elections Niyazov was elected as a president of Turkmenistan. October, 1, 1993 the session of Medzhlis of Turkmenistan conferred Niyazov to the rank of Turkmenbasha (the leader of all Turkmen). In January, 1994 as a result of referendum the power of the president was prolonged for 5 years without elections. In 1999 Niyazov received the right to stay a permanent president ”without limitation the terms of power”. Photo by UNIAN