Neyazov’s funeral

COMM The Prime-Minister of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich, second at the center, together with the members of Ukrainian delegation takes part in farewell ceremony with the President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov in Ashkhabad (Turkmenistan ) on Sunday, December, 24, 2006. 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 Andrey Mosiyenko /POOL /UNIAN