MOSCOW (RFE/RL) — Following the announcement of the death of Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov, Deputy Prime Minister Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov has been named acting head of state, RFE/RL’s Turkmen Service reported.

Turkmen State television already announced earlier that Berdymukhammedov had been selected to lead preparations for Niyazov’s state funeral.

“In accordance with Turkmenistan’s customs a state commission has been formed to bury President Niyazov,” Turkmen state television reported. “The leadership of the commission on Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov to head the funeral-planning commission.”

That funeral is scheduled for December 24. Turkmenistan is also observing a seven-day period of mourning.

Known as Turkmenbashi (Leader of the Turkmen), Niyazov had ruled Turkmenistan since 1985, when it was a Soviet republic, and oversaw its transition to independence.

He ruled Turkmenistan with an iron fist, creating an elaborate personality cult around himself. In 1999, the country’s legislature declared him president for life.

Niyazov had major heart surgery in 1997, and last month he acknowledged publicly for the first time that he had heart disease.

Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org