DUSHANBE, December 22, Asia-Plus — The latest events in Central Asia, namely resignation of Kyrgyz PM Felix Kulov and death of Turkmenistan’s President Saparmurat Niyazov, may affect fragile stability in the Central Asian region, Abdughani Mamadazimov, head of the Association of Political Scientists of Tajikistan, said.
On the further development of events in Turkmenistan Mamadazimov noted, “President Niyazov had not formed any group around him and had neither successors nor supporters.”
“The death of Niyazov can lead to a power struggle and it remains to just hope that replacement of power there will be smooth as it was in Azerbaijan, where Geidar Aliyev was replaced by his son Ilham,” the Tajik expert said.
“However, the son of Niyazov does not have the right to seek presidency because he is not yet 40 and he has lived outside Turkmenistan for a long time,” said Mamadazimov, “By Turkmen law only citizens not younger than 40 shall be elected the President.”
The political scientist also expressed hope that the future leader of Turkmenistan will promote closer cooperation of Turkmenistan with Tajikistan.
