Turkmenistan may hold presidential poll Feb 19-RIA

MOSCOW, Dec 26 (Reuters) Turkmenistan may hold a presidential election on February 19 to choose a successor to veteran authoritarian leader Sapurmarat Niyazov, Russia's RIA news agency quoted a government source as saying today.

The source said the proposed date, coinciding with Niyazov's birthday, would be put forward by a member of the Security Council at a meeting later in the day of the People's Assembly in the ex-Soviet state.

''This would be a demonstration of the continuity of the policy of Saparmurat Turkmenbashi,'' RIA quoted the source as saying. ''This is a day honouring not only the state flag but also the first president's birthday.

The Security Council, apparently made up of key ministers and other top officials, took over the administration of day-to-day affairs in Turkmenistan since Niyazov's death last week after 21 years of leading the country with vast gas reserves.

Deputy Prime Minister Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov was made acting president with the Security Council's backing.

Reuters DKA DS1332