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AP coverage of the late president's funeral

(24 Dec 2006) 1. Wide exterior "Spirit of Turkmenbashi" mosque, red carpet for route of funeral procession, soldiers lining way 2. Closer shot soldiers lining route 3. Flags 4. Wide shot mourners 5. Mid shot Turkmen elders 6. Mid shot coffin is borne along red carpet 7. Coffin is laid on bier 8. Various of mourners walking towards mosque 9. Wide shot mourners gathered outside mosque 10. Various of mourners in funeral prayers 11. Wide shot coffin is borne up mosque steps 12. Female mourners 13. Pan right from mosque to male mourners seated on ground in prayer STORYLINE Turkmens on Sunday paid their final respects to Saparmurat Niyazov, the authoritarian president who for two decades dominated life in the isolated Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan with his all-encompassing personality cult. Tens of thousands of mourners took part in the grandiose funeral ceremonies, which lasted for hours. The president's coffin was finally taken to the huge mosque in Kipchak, the home village of the man who styled himself as "Turkmenbashi" - or Father of All Turkmen. Earlier, in the capital Ashgabat, a long line of Turkmens and foreign dignitaries streamed solemnly past the Niyazov's coffin as he lay in state in the rotunda of the presidential palace. After three hours the coffin was closed, loaded onto a flower-laden trailer and pulled by an armoured personnel carrier to Kipchak, about 15 kilometres (10 miles) outside the capital. Mourners lined the cortege route. Niyazov built Central Asia's largest mosque - named "Spirit of Turkmenbashi" - in Kipchak. Pallbearers carried the coffin wrapped in the national flag into the Niyazov family mausoleum built on the mosque grounds. Delegations from 40 countries and international organisations attended the funeral. Niyazov, whose death from heart failure at 66 was announced on Thursday, left no obvious successor, provoking fears of instability in this energy-rich country bordering Iran and Afghanistan, which is of strategic interest to Russia and the West. On Saturday, the country's security minister promised his forces would preserve calm in the wake of his death. Niyazov had exiled or jailed most of his opponents, keeping all power in his hands, and observers predict a battle for succession. Signs of jockeying for power emerged just hours after Niyazov's death was announced. Although the constitution stipulates that the parliamentary speaker become acting president, the deputy prime minister was given the job. He later dismissed the speaker, who was charged with abuse of power and human rights violations. Since Niyazov's death, Russia, China and the West appear positioned to compete for influence over the ex-Soviet republic and its vast energy resources. Turkmenistan's natural gas deposits are second only to Russia's among the former Soviet states. Most Turkmen gas flows to Russia, which re-exports much of it to Europe. Analysts said that powerful security officials stood behind acting President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov, who was likely to be only an interim leader. On Tuesday, the chief legislative body will set a date for elections. But one-party rule does not appear threatened in the country, which has never known democracy. Niyazov led Turkmenistan since 1985 and held absolute power after the desert nation of 5 million became independent with the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1999 he was named president for life. Niyazov isolated Turkmenistan from the outside world. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...