Turkmenbashi Laid To Rest
![Mourners lining up in the early-morning hours in Ashgabat to pay respects to President Saparmurat Niyazov (epa) - "The streets are deserted," Ukrainian journalist Maksym Drabok told RFE/RL today from Ashgabat. "People are staying inside. New Year's decorations have already been taken down in the whole city, [New Year's] trees have been removed."](https://gdb.rferl.org/99E70036-C60C-41AC-B374-51589747CC8D_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Mourners lining up in the early-morning hours in Ashgabat to pay respects to President Saparmurat Niyazov (epa) - "The streets are deserted," Ukrainian journalist Maksym Drabok told RFE/RL today from Ashgabat. "People are staying inside. New Year's decorations have already been taken down in the whole city, [New Year's] trees have been removed."
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Mourners for Saparmurat Niyazov in Ashgabat (epa) - "State flags are flying at half mast," Drabok continued. "People are wearing hats, even inside, including television news presenters, which signifies mourning. The mourning period will last until December 30. The four national television channels are showing the national flag with a portrait of Niyazov in a black frame, as well as films about his life and condolences from official delegations."
![Soldiers stand guard outside the Ashgabat presidential palace where Niyazov's body was lying in state (AFP) - "There was no opportunity to speak with common people because when we arrived at 23:00 [on December 23] an informal curfew had already been in effect and there were practically no people on the streets," Drabok said.](https://gdb.rferl.org/E499F27C-4A24-4CF8-8704-C260277646DB_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Soldiers stand guard outside the Ashgabat presidential palace where Niyazov's body was lying in state (AFP) - "There was no opportunity to speak with common people because when we arrived at 23:00 [on December 23] an informal curfew had already been in effect and there were practically no people on the streets," Drabok said.
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An honor guard stands by Niyazov's coffin in Ashgabat as mourners file past (AFP) - "The people are mourning," Drabok continued, "but they are mourning in an organized fashion. They were brought to the presidential palace where Turkmenbashi's coffin was on display in columns."
![An honor guard stands by Niyazov's coffin in Ashgabat as mourners file past (epa) - "All those who attended the [funeral] ceremony came in organized columns and there was an unspoken ban on contact with the press," Drabok said. "They didn't come close [to journalists], said nothing and pretended they didn't understand Russian."](https://gdb.rferl.org/110E67A3-61E6-4D69-B67D-6FCE147921C4_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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An honor guard stands by Niyazov's coffin in Ashgabat as mourners file past (epa) - "All those who attended the [funeral] ceremony came in organized columns and there was an unspoken ban on contact with the press," Drabok said. "They didn't come close [to journalists], said nothing and pretended they didn't understand Russian."
![An honor guard stands by Niyazov's coffin in Ashgabat as mourners file past (AFP) - "The farewell ceremony was broadcast live," Drabok said. "It began at 9:00 a.m. State officials paid their last tribute [to Niyazov] first, followed by armed forces representatives, relatives, and then common people."](https://gdb.rferl.org/3671EEE1-556F-4C56-8F48-C334B760F63A_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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An honor guard stands by Niyazov's coffin in Ashgabat as mourners file past (AFP) - "The farewell ceremony was broadcast live," Drabok said. "It began at 9:00 a.m. State officials paid their last tribute [to Niyazov] first, followed by armed forces representatives, relatives, and then common people."
![Unidentified relatives of Saparmurat Niyazov mourn at the Ashgabat service (epa) - "It was possible [for journalists] to get into the country only as part of an official delegation from a particular country," Drabok said. "From the Ukrainian side, there were a few television channels and also a Reuters photographer. There was also a television crew from Reuters Turkey and several Russian television channels that I know, and also some Turkish media representatives."](https://gdb.rferl.org/023F4225-3B9D-41FF-9FF3-660B5D4596E6_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Unidentified relatives of Saparmurat Niyazov mourn at the Ashgabat service (epa) - "It was possible [for journalists] to get into the country only as part of an official delegation from a particular country," Drabok said. "From the Ukrainian side, there were a few television channels and also a Reuters photographer. There was also a television crew from Reuters Turkey and several Russian television channels that I know, and also some Turkish media representatives."
![Unidentified relatives of Saparmurat Niyazov mourn at the Ashgabat service (epa) - "It would have been more difficult to get into the country using other channels," Drabok continued. "It was only possible if one already had a valid entry visa. If [a journalists had] no valid visa, it was practically impossible to get a visa."](https://gdb.rferl.org/1CD2F8CF-221F-4558-A82C-2BA269EE93C8_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Unidentified relatives of Saparmurat Niyazov mourn at the Ashgabat service (epa) - "It would have been more difficult to get into the country using other channels," Drabok continued. "It was only possible if one already had a valid entry visa. If [a journalists had] no valid visa, it was practically impossible to get a visa."
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An honor guard presents a wreath from the Russian government at the service for Niyazov in Ashgabat (epa) - "There were 20 delegations at the level of heads of state and government, mostly from regional countries: Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan," Drabok said. "Russia was represented by Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. Western countries were represented by ambassadors. No officials spoke at the farewell ceremony."
![A funeral procession taking Niyazov's body to his hometown of Kipchak, some 15 kilometers from Ashgabat (TASS) - "[Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych] spoke with [Turkmen] Oil, Gas, and Mineral Resources Minister Gurbanmurat Ataev," Drabok reported.](https://gdb.rferl.org/EB183546-A45D-41F4-A801-0792B4BA4D62_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A funeral procession taking Niyazov's body to his hometown of Kipchak, some 15 kilometers from Ashgabat (TASS) - "[Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych] spoke with [Turkmen] Oil, Gas, and Mineral Resources Minister Gurbanmurat Ataev," Drabok reported.
![An armored personnel carrier tows Niyazov's funeral bier to his family crypt in Kipchak (AFP) - "This was a protocol meeting," he said. "They discussed the gas situation in general terms. Ukraine hopes for continuity in relations with the new [Turkmen] president and hopes that nothing will change in the gas agreements and that those agreements will be adhered to."](https://gdb.rferl.org/20429470-5F36-44C9-8791-2852C16DC3D6_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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An armored personnel carrier tows Niyazov's funeral bier to his family crypt in Kipchak (AFP) - "This was a protocol meeting," he said. "They discussed the gas situation in general terms. Ukraine hopes for continuity in relations with the new [Turkmen] president and hopes that nothing will change in the gas agreements and that those agreements will be adhered to."
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The Niyazov family mausoleum in Kipchak, where Niyazov's body was laid to rest on December 24 (AFP) - "Saparmurat Niyazov was buried in a family mausoleum at the Spirituality Mosque in his native village of Kipchak, 15 kilometers from Ashgabat," Drabok reported.
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The interment service for Niyazov at his family's mausoleum in Kipchak (AFP) - "A living corridor made up of residents of the capital stood along the entire route of the cortege carrying the body," Drabok reported.