DUSHANBE, December 22, Asia-Plus – A very complex situation has formed in Turkmenistan after its leader’s death, Yusufjon Akhmedov, deputy of Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
“Dirty palace intrigues started already yesterday following an official announcement of the president’s death,” said Akhmedov, “By Turkmenistan’s law in the event of the death of the president, his duties shall pass, until a newly elected president takes up office, to the incumbent head of parliament, but yesterday afternoon, it was announced that the prosecutor-general had instituted criminal proceedings against him,” said Akhmedov, “Turkmenistan without Niyazov is like “a scorched desert: nobody knows whether he had successor and whom he had trusted.”
“It is to be noted that Turkmenistan is the rich country, and Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the United States will try to influence a power struggle in this country,” said Tajik MP, “The situation is very difficult in this country, especially as to take into consideration its long common border with Afghanistan.”
“As far as Tajik-Turkmen relationships are concerned, in the previous years, Turkmenistan had always met Tajikistan half-way,” said the parliamentarian, “Turkmenistan; for example, was ready to supply natural gas to Tajikistan by lower prices than Uzbekistan.” “The present energy crisis in Tajikistan could be overcome but Uzbekistan did not permit to supply the Turkmen gas via its territory,” Akhmedov said.
