Outtakes From A Turkmen Tongue-Lashing

Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow(or Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, Berdymukhammedov , born June 29, 1957) has served as the President of Turkmenistan since December 21, 2006. On that day he became acting president following the death of Saparmurat Niyazov and the imprisonment of Niyazov's constitutionally appointed successor, Öwezgeldi Ataýew. Berdimuhamedow and the Halk Maslahaty announced on December 26 that the next presidential elections would take place on February 11, 2007. On February 14, 2007, Berdimuhamedow was named the winner of the presidential election held three days earlier, and immediately sworn into office. He uses the honorific title Arkadag, meaning "Patron".