Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow

Infobox President
name = Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhammedow
order = President of Turkmenistan
term_start = 21 December 2006
predecessor = Saparmurat Niyazov
birth_date = birth date and age|1957|06|29|df=y
birth_place = Babarab, Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Union
party = TDP
residence = Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
alma_mater = Turkmen State Medical Institute
profession = Dentistry
religion = Muslim [ [http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=9834&type=event&sort=date_desc President of Turkmenistan arrives in Mecca] ]

Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhammedow (Russian name: Курбанкули (or Гурбангулы) Мяликгулыевич Бердымухаммедов [Although "Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhammedow" is the only Turkmen form, and Turkmen, written with Latin alphabet, is the only official language of Turkmenistan, western sources generally use the Russian form of Turkmen proper names, using various transliterations::*The website of the presidency: "Gurbanguly Myalikguliyevich Berdymuhammedov" [http://www.turkmenistan.gov.tm/politika/hronika/211206_eng.html#MM3] :*RFE/RL: "Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov". [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/12/56E64767-9340-464A-8C8E-96FC8E277DE1.html] [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/12/26A1157E-4545-4AAE-998F-F15A08AF29AE.html] [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/12/F02EFA71-93BF-478A-9200-D909ECB87380.html] :*BBC: "Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov". [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1298497.stm] , then "Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6213875.stm] :*Reuters: "Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov". [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-12-25T142543Z_01_L25241972_RTRUKOC_0_US-TURKMENISTAN.xml&WTmodLoc=IntNewsHome_C2_worldNews-3] [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-12-26T163614Z_01_L25241972_RTRUKOC_0_US-TURKMENISTAN.xml&WTmodLoc=IntNewsHome_C2_worldNews-4] [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlebusiness.aspx?type=tnBusinessNews&storyID=nL27484772&from=business] :*The New York Times: "Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov". [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/27/world/asia/27turkmenistan.html] [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/30/world/asia/30turkmenistan.html?ref=asia] :*The Associated Press: "Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov". [http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20061226-1210-turkmenistan-election.html] ] , born June 29, 1957 [Berdimuhammedow celebrated his 50th birthday on June 29 [2007] cite news |title=Turkmenistan: New President Shows Shades Of 'Turkmenbashi'
url=http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/07/553cbfb1-46aa-4757-ae2b-2069350baf5f.html |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=July 3, 2007 |accessdate=2007-07-16] ) has been the President of Turkmenistan since December 21, 2006, when he became acting president following the death of Saparmurat Niyazov, and the imprisonment of his constitutionally appointed successor, Öwezgeldi Ataýew. Berdimuhammedow and the Halk Maslahaty announced on December 26 that the next presidential elections would be held on February 11, 2007. On February 14, 2007, Berdimuhammedow was named the winner of the presidential election held three days earlier, and immediately sworn into office.cite news |title=New Turkmen President Sworn In|url=http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/02/29f5fc12-0ee2-4e95-a44a-46ef09d5b4c0.html |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=2007-02-14 |accessdate=2007-03-06 ]

Early years

Berdimuhammedow was born on June 29, 1957 in Babarab in what is now the Gökdepe "etrap" ("district") of Ahal province. He graduated from the Turkmen State Medical Institute in 1979 and entered a career in dentistry.cite news|title=And finally ... how the march of a lone cockroach put 30 people out of work|publisher = The Guardian |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/22/television| author=Luke Harding|date=2008-02-22|accessdate=2008-02-22] He also received a PhD in medical sciences in Moscow. By 1992 he had become part of the dentistry faculty at the Medical Institute.

In an interview when asked about his life experience Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow said:

"It is too early for me to write a detailed biography. My biography is in many respects typical of people of my generation." cite web|date=2007-02-17|publisher=Turkmenistan Magazine|title=INTERVIEW OF THE PRESIDENT OF TURKMENISTAN FOR THE TURKMENISTAN MAGAZINE|url=http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=12&lang_id=en&elem_id=9363&type=event&sort=date_desc]

On influencing factors to his character:

"My parents always managed to maintain the hospitable atmosphere in the family. They were happy at an opportunity to communicate openly with people - friends and relatives. They always took active part in the resolving of other people's problems and difficulties..."(more)"...this necessity in empathy my parents had instilled in me in the childhood influenced, to the considerable extent, my choice to devote my life to medicine..."(more)"...readiness to help a neighbor is peculiar to the society as a whole, it may characterize the strength and moral health of the nation. The Turkmen literature has many splendid authors who gave the world their immortal works that express the profound Turkmen people's wisdom in a concentrated form. I admire Makhtumkuli, Andalib, Azadi, Kemine... Due to my medical education I read a lot the works of Ibn Sina (Avicenna), a great scholar of the medieval times, with great interest. The expanse of his interests and the depth of the scientist's judgments struck me. Ibn Sina was a great man not only as a doctor but as a philosopher and thinker as well."

In 1995, during the rule of Saparmurat Niyazov, Berdimuhammedow became head of the dentistry center of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry. In 1997, he was named Health Minister, and he then became Deputy Prime Minister in 2001. [ [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/12/3F7885AA-B6AA-4028-A29C-3CF882FC2FA0.html "Turkmenistan: Change Of Leadership Presents Many Dangers"] , Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberties, December 22, 2006.] [ [http://www.press-uz.info/ru/content.scm?topicId=2633&contentId=37772 Press-Uz.info] , December 22, 2006 (in Russian).] In April 2004, Niyazov suspended Bedimuhammedow salary for three months because healthcare workers were also not being paid.

The Health Ministry was responsible for carrying out Niyazov's notorious order to close all hospitals outside of the capital city and major regional towns in 2005. [ [http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGEUR610012005?open&of=ENG-348 "Turkmenistan: President announces large-scale closure of hospitals"] , Amnesty International, March 24, 2005.]

Following the death of Niyazov, who had not named a successor, in December 2006, Berdimuhammedow became the head of the commission to organize Niyazov's state funeral. This immediately led to speculation that he was a front-runner in the race to appoint a successor to Niyazov in the power vacuum that followed his death.

President of Turkmenistan

The State Security Council of Turkmenistan appointed Berdimuhammedow acting president. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6198983.stm "Turkmenistan's 'iron ruler' dies"] , BBC News, December 21, 2006.] [ [http://rian.ru/politics/cis/20061221/57476457.html "Power in Turkmenistan temporarily moved to Berdimuhammedow"] (in Russian)] The Council stated in its announcement that Öwezgeldi Ataýew, who as the Chairman of the Assembly of Turkmenistan was to become the acting president, was not appointed "in view of the fact that the prosecutor-general had instituted criminal proceedings against him." [cite web|title=Turkmen Dpty PM Berdymukhammedov appointed acting president|url=http://www.itarass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11104815|publisher=ITAR-TASS |date=2006-12-21]

Under Article 60 of the Turkmen Constitution, which stipulated that the acting president "may not stand for election to the Presidency", [ [http://www.legislationline.org/upload/legislations/4f/56/33fa31942510288eb01ea3a1508a.pdf The Constitutional Law of Turkmenistan] ] Berdimuhammedow would not have been allowed to run as a candidate in the 2007 presidential elections. However, on December 24, 2006 People's Council voted to remove this provision, making him eligible for the election as one of the six chosen candidates, all members of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6359569.stm New Turkmen leader is inaugurated] , BBC, February 14, 2007; http://lenta.ru/articles/2006/12/26/awakening/] Berdimuhammedow was supported by the current elite, [ [http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11654021 Interfax > Politics ] ] and the official results showed him as winning 89% of the vote.Berdimuhammedow made his first official visit abroad, after becoming president, to Saudi Arabia in mid-April 2007. There he performed the pilgrimage umrah, and met with King Abdullah. [ [http://www.cacianalyst.org/newsite/?q=node/4594/print Berdymukhammedov Burnishes Muslim Credentials On Visit To Saudi Arabia ] ] He then visited Russia and its president Vladimir Putin at the end of the same month.

Religious sentiment

In April 2007, Berdimuhammedow visited Islamic holy sites in Medina. [ [http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=9834&type=event&sort=date_descM President of Turkmenistan arrives in Mecca, performs umrah ] ]

He has also been quoted as saying

"A human being always communicates with God... There is no place for insincerity and craftiness. Even if you try to palter before God he will see it anyway. Truly, the one who can afford talking honestly and sincerely not only to God but people as well is happy."

World press view and rumours

Moscow's "Kommersant" daily reported opposition leaders as describing Berdimuhammedow as weak-willed and wielding little influence. [Vladimir Solovyov and Mikhail Zygar, [http://www.commersant.com/p732435/Saparmurat_Niyazev/ "Turkmenbashi, "Father of All Turkmen," Dies"] , Kommersant, December 22, 2006.]

Because of his allegedly 'uncanny resemblance' to Niyazov, it was rumoured that Berdimuhammedow could be the former President's illegitimate son. [cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/12/31/wturkmen31.xml|title= No choice for the toothless Turkmen voters|author=Nick Holdsworth|publisher=Sunday Telegraph|date=2006-12-30|accessdate=2008-02-22] Observers said these rumours were spread to lend legitimacy to Berdimuhammedow's hold on power. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6346185.stm BBC profile] ]

Some sections of the media criticised the elections: Radio Free Europe described the elections as "neither free nor fair", [cite news |first=Bruce |last=Pannier |title=Turkmenistan: Presidential Election Deemed Neither Free Nor Fair |url=http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/02/6fe7467b-71b5-49ce-8781-2ae20875ec77.html |work=Radio Free Europe |date=2006-02-12 |accessdate=2007-02-14 ] and the International Crisis Group described it as "blatantly falsified". [cite news |first=Alexander |last=Vershinin |title=Think Tank Blasts Turkmen Election |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/13/ap/world/mainD8N8NHBG0.shtml |work=Associated Press |publisher=CBS News |date=2007-02-13 |accessdate=2007-02-14 ]

In office

ee also

*Politics of Turkmenistan

References and footnotes

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6346185.stm BBC News Profile: Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov]
* [http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-02-11-voa13.cfm Turkmenistan Votes for Presidential Successor]