Saparmurat Niyazov: Turkmenbashi

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Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov (left) being interviewed by RFE/RL correspondent Zarif Nazar in Ashgabat in 1992 (RFE/RL)
Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov (left) being interviewed by RFE/RL correspondent Zarif Nazar in Ashgabat in 1992 (RFE/RL)
Sapurmurat Niyazov came to power in the Soviet republic of Turkmenistan in 1985. After the country declared independence in 1991, he became its president. He was elected in an uncontested election in 1992 and named president for life in 1999. In 1993, he took the title Turkmenbashi (Head of All The Turkmen).
 
Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov (left) being interviewed by RFE/RL correspondent Zarif Nazar in Ashgabat in 1992 (RFE/RL) An honor guard is permanently positioned in front of the statue of President Niyazov in downtown Ashgabat (epa) Niyazov (right) prays with local clergy at the opening of a gas-compressor station in September 2005 (TASS) Turkmen President Niyazov (left) meeting in the White House with U.S. President Bill Clinton in August 1998 (RFE/RL) Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) with President Niyazov in Ashgabat, in April 2002 (TASS) Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad (left) shakes hands with Niyazov prior to bilateral talks in Ashgabat in July (AFP) Afghan President Hamid Karzai (left), Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf (center), and Niyazov after the signing of a pipeline agreement in 2002 (CTK) The \'Ruhnama,\' the spiritual tome by President Saparmurat Niyazov (TASS) President Niyazov (center) at a military parade in Ashgabat in October to mark the 15th anniversary of Turkmenistan\'s independence (TASS) Turkmenistan celebrates Niyazov\'s 65th birthday in February 2005 (TASS)
 

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