Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow
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| Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow | |
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| Assumed office December 21, 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Saparmurat Niyazov |
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| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
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| Born | 1957 Babarab, Gökdepe etrap (district) of Ahal Province, Turkmen SSR, Soviet Union, present day Turkmenistan |
| Political party | Democratic Party of Turkmenistan |
| Turkmenistan |
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Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhammedow (Russianized name: Курбанкули (or Гурбангулы) Мяликгулыевич Бердымухаммедов[1], born 1957) has been the President of Turkmenistan since December 21, 2006, when he became acting president following the death of Saparmurat Niyazov. On February 14, 2007, Berdimuhammedow was named the winner of the presidential election held three days earlier, and immediately sworn into office.[2]
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[edit] Biography
Berdimuhammedow was born in Babarab in what is now the Gökdepe etrap (district) of Ahal province. He graduated from the Turkmen State Medical Institute and entered a career in dentistry. By 1992 he had become part of the dentistry faculty at the Medical Institute.
In an interview when asked about his life experience Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow said:
"It is too early for me to write a detailed biography. My biography is in many respects typical of people of my generation."[3]
On influencing factors to his character:
"My parents always managed to maintain the hospitable atmosphere in the family. They were happy at an opportunity to communicate openly with people - friends and relatives. They always took active part in the resolving of other people's problems and difficulties...(more)...this necessity in empathy my parents had instilled in me in the childhood influenced, to the considerable extent, my choice to devote my life to medicine...(more)...readiness to help a neighbor is peculiar to the society as a whole, it may characterize the strength and moral health of the nation. The Turkmen literature has many splendid authors who gave the world their immortal works that express the profound Turkmen people's wisdom in a concentrated form. I admire Makhtumkuli, Andalib, Azadi, Kemine... Due to my medical education I read a lot the works of Ibn Sina (Avicenna), a great scholar of the medieval times, with great interest. The expanse of his interests and the depth of the scientist's judgments stroke me. Ibn Sina is a great man not only as a doctor but as a philosopher and thinker as well."[3]
In 1995 under the rule of Saparmurat Niyazov, Berdimuhammedow became head of the dentistry center of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry. In 1997 he was named Health Minister, and also became Deputy Prime Minister in 2001.[4][5] The Health Ministry was responsible for carrying out Niyazov's notorious order to close all hospitals outside of the capital city and major regional towns in 2005.[6]
Following the death of Niyazov, who did not name a successor, in December 2006, Berdimuhammedow became the head of the commission to organize Niyazov's state funeral. This immediately led to speculation that he was a front-runner in the race to appoint a successor to Niyazov in the power vacuum that followed his death.
The State Security Council of Turkmenistan appointed Berdimuhammedow acting president.[7][8] The Council stated in its announcement that Öwezgeldi Ataýew, who as the Chairman of the Assembly of Turkmenistan was to become the acting president, was not appointed "in view of the fact that the prosecutor-general had instituted criminal proceedings against him."[9]
Under Article 60 of the Turkmen Constitution, which stipulated that the acting president "may not stand for election to the Presidency",[10] Berdimuhammedow would not have been allowed to run as a candidate in the 2007 presidential elections. However, on December 24, 2006 People's Council voted to remove this provision, making him eligible for the election as one of the six chosen candidates, all members of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan.[11] Berdimuhammedow was supported by the current elite,[12] and the official results showed him as winning 89% of the vote.[2] Radio Free Europe described the elections as "neither free nor fair",[13] and the International Crisis Group described it as "blatantly falsified".[14]
According to the newspaper Kommersant, opposition leaders have described Berdimuhammedow as a weak-willed man who wields little influence.[15]
Some sources suggest that he is the former President's illegitimate son. There is speculation that these rumours are being spread to enhance Berdimuhammedow's legitimacy.[16] Saparmurat Niyazov's son, Murat Niyazov, was not eligible to run as only Turkmen citizens from forty to seventy may run and Murat is only 39 years old; this was also a revision by the People's Council after President Niyazov's death. [17]
[edit] Religious sentiment
"A human being always communicates with God ."[3]
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[edit] In office
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Although Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhammedow is the only Turkmen form, and Turkmen, written with Latin alphabet, is the only official language of Turkmenistan, western sources generally use the Russian form of Turkmen proper names, using various transliterations:
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- The website of the presidency: Gurbanguly Myalikguliyevich Berdymuhammedov [1]
- RFE/RL: Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov.[2][3][4]
- BBC: Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.[5], then Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov [6]
- Reuters: Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.[7][8][9]
- The New York Times: Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov.[10][11]
- The Associated Press: Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov.[12]
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- ^ a b "New Turkmen President Sworn In", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 2007-02-14. Retrieved on March 6, 2007.
- ^ a b c INTERVIEW OF THE PRESIDENT OF TURKMENISTAN FOR THE TURKMENISTAN MAGAZINE. Turkmenistan Magazine (17-02-2007).
- ^ "Turkmenistan: Change Of Leadership Presents Many Dangers", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberties, December 22, 2006.
- ^ Press-Uz.info, December 22, 2006 (in Russian).
- ^ "Turkmenistan: President announces large-scale closure of hospitals", Amnesty International, March 24, 2005.
- ^ "Turkmenistan's 'iron ruler' dies", BBC News, 21 December 2006.
- ^ "Power in Turkmenistan temporarily moved to Berdimuhammedow" (in Russian)
- ^ Turkmen Dpty PM Berdymukhammedov appointed acting president. ITAR-TASS (2006-12-21).
- ^ The Constitutional Law of Turkmenistan
- ^ New Turkmen leader is inaugurated, BBC, February 14, 2007; http://lenta.ru/articles/2006/12/26/awakening/
- ^ http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11654021
- ^ Pannier, Bruce. "Turkmenistan: Presidential Election Deemed Neither Free Nor Fair", Radio Free Europe, 2006-02-12. Retrieved on February 14, 2007.
- ^ Vershinin, Alexander. "Think Tank Blasts Turkmen Election", Associated Press, CBS News, 2007-02-13. Retrieved on February 14, 2007.
- ^ Vladimir Solovyov and Mikhail Zygar, "Turkmenbashi, "Father of All Turkmen," Dies", Kommersant, December 22, 2006.
- ^ BBC profile
- ^ BBC profile
| Preceded by Saparmurat Niyazov |
President of Turkmenistan December 21, 2006 – present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Preceded by ? |
Deputy Prime Minister of Turkmenistan 2001-2006 |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Leaders of Turkmenistan |
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 Turkmen SSR, First Secretaries: Ivan Mezhlauk • Shaymardan Ibragimov • Nikolay Paskutsky • Grigory Aronshtam • Yakov Popok • Anna Mukhamedova • Yakov Chubin • Mikhail Fonin • Shadzha Batyrov • Balysh Ovezov • Sukhan Babayev • Dzhuma Durdy Karayev • Balysh Ovezov • Muhammetnazar Gapurow • Saparmurat Niyazov
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| Prime Ministers of Turkmenistan |
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| Turkmen SSR: Kaikhaziz Atabayev • Aitbay Khudaybergenov • Sukhan Babayev • Balysh Ovezov • Dzhumadurdy Karayev • Balysh Ovezov • Abdy Annaliyev • Muhammetnazar Gapurow • Oraz Orazmukhamedov • Bally Yazkuliyev • Chary Karriyev • Saparmurat Niyazov • Annamurad Khodzhamuradov • Khan Akhmedov
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