This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6207185.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Turkmen leader's funeral begins | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A funeral ceremony is under way for the late President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov, who died on Thursday from a heart attack. | |
| Mourners are gathering to pay tribute to Mr Niyazov, whose body is lying in state in the capital, Ashgabat. | |
| Mr Niyazov ruled the energy-rich nation for more than 20 years. | Mr Niyazov ruled the energy-rich nation for more than 20 years. |
| His sudden death has fuelled fears of instability in a country that borders Iran and Afghanistan and is an important supplier of gas to Europe. | His sudden death has fuelled fears of instability in a country that borders Iran and Afghanistan and is an important supplier of gas to Europe. |
| Flags are flying at half-mast, shops and restaurants are closed and New Year celebrations have been cancelled. | Flags are flying at half-mast, shops and restaurants are closed and New Year celebrations have been cancelled. |
| The BBC's Central Asia correspondent, Natalia Antelava, says that over the past two decades, Mr Niyazov turned himself into the only man who mattered in Turkmenistan. | The BBC's Central Asia correspondent, Natalia Antelava, says that over the past two decades, Mr Niyazov turned himself into the only man who mattered in Turkmenistan. |
| In charge of the world's fifth-largest natural gas reserves and in full control of five million people, his rule was absolute. | In charge of the world's fifth-largest natural gas reserves and in full control of five million people, his rule was absolute. |
| Ballet ban | Ballet ban |
| The creator of one of the most elaborate personality cults the world has seen, Mr Niyazov erected golden statues of himself. He banned beards and ballet, and renamed January after himself and April after his mother. | The creator of one of the most elaborate personality cults the world has seen, Mr Niyazov erected golden statues of himself. He banned beards and ballet, and renamed January after himself and April after his mother. |
| Ruhnama, the book he wrote, became the cornerstone of Turkmenistan's education and legal systems. Reading it regularly, Mr Niyazov told his people, would secure them a place in heaven. | Ruhnama, the book he wrote, became the cornerstone of Turkmenistan's education and legal systems. Reading it regularly, Mr Niyazov told his people, would secure them a place in heaven. |
| With his pictures at all street corners, and all political opponents either in jail or exiled, he was the very basis of the system he had created, our correspondent says. | With his pictures at all street corners, and all political opponents either in jail or exiled, he was the very basis of the system he had created, our correspondent says. |
| Now with the main hero gone, no functioning political institutions in place and no obvious successor, Turkmenistan's future looks uncertain. | Now with the main hero gone, no functioning political institutions in place and no obvious successor, Turkmenistan's future looks uncertain. |
| The government has promised to follow in the footsteps of Mr Niyazov, but many fear that a succession crisis is inevitable and that it could unleash serious instability. | The government has promised to follow in the footsteps of Mr Niyazov, but many fear that a succession crisis is inevitable and that it could unleash serious instability. |