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Turkmenistan mourns late leader Turkmenistan mourns late leader
(about 3 hours later)
A funeral ceremony is under way for the late President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov, who died on Thursday from a heart attack. Thousands of mourners have paid their respects to the late President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Turkmenistan, who died from a sudden heart attack.
Lines of mourners have filed past the body of Mr Niyazov as it lies in state in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat. Turkmens filed past Mr Niyazov's body as it lay in state in the presidential palace in the capital, Ashgabat.
Mr Niyazov ruled the energy-rich nation for more 20 years. The body of the self-styled "Father of All Turkmens" was then being buried in his home village, next to his parents. There are now fears of instability in a country that is a key supplier of natural gas to Europe.
His death, aged 66, has fuelled fears of instability in a country that borders Iran and Afghanistan and is an important supplier of gas to Europe. Turkmenistan has the world's fifth-largest stocks of natural gas, and has borders with Iran and with Afghanistan.
Flags are flying at half-mast, shops and restaurants are closed and New Year celebrations have been cancelled. Heads of state from across Central Asia, and high-ranking delegations from elsewhere are in Ashgabat for the ceremonies.
Heads of state from across the region are attending the ceremony, as well as high-ranking delegations from the US, Russia, Iran and Afghanistan. Many are watching for signs of political life after Mr Niyazov.
There was high security as mourners moved past the Mr Niyazov's coffin inside the presidential palace. The BBC's Natalia Antelava says exiled opposition groups are already lobbying to return to the country, adding that inside the country signs of a power struggle are emerging.
Absolute rule Grim legacy
The BBC's Central Asia correspondent, Natalia Antelava, says that over two decades, Mr Niyazov turned himself into the only man who mattered in Turkmenistan. A tank carried Mr Niyazov's coffin away from the presidential palace and to the village of his birth outside Ashgabat, where he will be buried.
The authoritarian rule of the late Turkmen leader lasted 21 years He called himself "Turkmenbashi", or the Father of All Turkmens, and wielded absolute power in a country with the world's fifth-largest natural gas reserves. The authoritarian rule of the late Turkmen leader lasted 21 years Earlier, some of the thousands of people who came to pay their respects appeared grief-stricken by the death of their leader.
Many bowed and carried flowers, and some people wept openly as they approached his coffin.
Flags in Turkmenistan are flying at half-mast for the funeral, shops and restaurants are closed and New Year celebrations have been cancelled.
Our correspondent says that during two decades of rule, Mr Niyazov turned himself into the only man who mattered in Turkmenistan.
He wielded absolute power and fostered a cult of personality around himself and his family.
But his legacy is grim, our correspondent says: he jailed or exiled his political opponents, created no functioning political institutions, and left no obvious successor.But his legacy is grim, our correspondent says: he jailed or exiled his political opponents, created no functioning political institutions, and left no obvious successor.
In Turkmenistan, and across the region, there are fears of a succession crisis and the instability that it could unleash. Mr Niyazov created one of the most elaborate personality cults the world has seen.
In charge of the world's fifth-largest natural gas reserves and in full control of five million people, the rule of "Turkmenbashi", or the Father of all Turkmens, was absolute. He erected golden statues of himself, he banned beards and ballet, and renamed January after himself and April after his mother.
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.
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. His pictures were on display at all street corners, his political opponents were either in jail or exiled, and he formed the basis of the system he had created.
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.