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Turkmenbashi Saparmurat Niyazov dies

21 December 2006 07:42 (UTC +04:00)

Saparmurat Niyazov was born on February 19, 1940 in Ashgabat. His father died during World War II, his mother and sisters became the victims of the earthquake happened in Ashgabat in 1948. Niyazov was brought up in the childrenâ€™s home and after graduating secondary school entered Leningrad Polytechnic Institute and became power engineering specialist. Saparmurat Niyazov worked in different spheres and became the chairman of the Cabinet of Turkmenistan. In 1985 Niyazov became the first secretary of Turkmenistan Communist Party Central Committee. In 1990 he was elected president. Saparmurat NIyazov had ruled the country for 21 years. He has a son and a daughter.
Special state committee was established to organize funeral ceremony of the president.
The second secretary of Azerbaijani embassy in Turkmenistan Ramiz Aliyev told the APA that Niyazov underwent major heart surgery in 1997 and later was operated for eyes. Ramiz Aliyev said that the president felt well recently and he died suddenly.
â€œMourning is declared in the country,â€? he said.
Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazovâ€™s funeral ceremony will be held on December 24, APA reports. The commission established to organize funeral ceremony. State Flag in all parts of the country was lowered. It should be noted that, the commission is headed by Deputy Premier Gurbangulu Berdimukhammed.
By the Constitution, Turkmenistan Parliament speaker Ovesgelsi Atayev is to take over as acting president for two months until presidential elections, because of the death of Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan president. Later Turkmenistan state television spread information that Deputy Premier Gurbangulu Berdimukhammedov will take over as acting president. The information says as criminal case was launched against Ovesgelsi Atayev he can not take over as acting president.
By the constitution the elections must be held within two months after the speaker takes over as acting president. The acting president cannot run for presidential elections. /APA/