www.talkcyprus.org

[brother]

Quote:
State TV said Nizayov's death was a "great loss" to the Turkmens

Turkmenistan's authoritarian president Saparmurat Niyazov, who ruled the Central Asian country for 21 years, has died aged 66, state TV has reported.

Mr Niyazov, who named cities and airports after himself in a personality cult, left no designated successor.

Turkmenistan, which has large gas reserves, now faces an uncertain future with rival groups and outside powers scrambling for influence, analysts say.

Mr Niyazov died at 0110 local time (2010 GMT Wednesday) of a heart attack.

full article here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6198983.stm

[cypezokyli]

all these poor countries in the caspian region have been blessed and cursed by natural resources. as if that was not enough they are landlocked , making there existance depended on cooperation with their neighboursand the stability of them (which is usually absend). at the same time they are in the middle of geostratgical interests, russia, US, iran, mutlinationals etc.
most of them ended up having authoritarian regimes - usually supported by some interest group. usually they also have minorities , supported by other interest groups.


i dont know the specifics of turkmenistan, but i would bet that one autoritarian ruler died , a new one will replace him.

[Dream_Merchant]

Niyazov I the Golden, Ruler of Ashgabat has passed away.

He left no heirs to the throne of Ashgabat. Without the Founding Father, the Great Nation of Turkmenistan will fall into chaos and anarchy. One can only hope that a lesser man will follow in His footsteps.

Long may He live on in memory!