New Turkmen leader likes old ways of late strongman

ASHGABAT, Feb 18 (Reuters) Turkmenistan will not rush to introduce political reforms, the Central Asian state's new president said in an interview calling late authoritarian leader Saparmurat Niyazov his greatest authority.

Human rights bodies have called on foreign states to demand progress on democracy before offering trade and aid to the gas-rich nation, ranked among the world's most repressive regimes after 21 years of Niyazov's rule.

''Any attempt to hastily bring about some kind of social, political or economic changes can only lead to chaos and instability,'' President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov told the Russian-language Turkmenistan magazine.

''As for democracy, this fragile substance cannot be imposed by using imported ready-made models.'' Berdymukhamedov, 49, who served as a minister and an aide to Niyazov for 10 years, on February 11 won a vote seen as neither free nor fair by the few foreigners who observed it.

Berdymukhamedov, who circumvented the constitution to take over immediately after Niyazov's death in December, warned against expecting fast changes.

''Ever since my childhood, I have deeply engraved in my memory my father's saying: 'Never run where you can get walking','' he said.

The interview was posted on Web site www.turkmenistan.ru, sponsored by the Turkmen government to promote a better image of the reclusive nation, and is one of Berdymukhamedov's first programme statements since his February 14 inauguration.

Assistant US Secretary of State Richard Boucher said on Friday after meeting Berdymukhamedov he was hopeful for change, defending a policy of engaging with Turkmenistan before it demonstrates progress on human rights.

THE PERFECT EXAMPLE? The nation bordering Afghanistan and Iran has a large number of political prisoners, and under Niyazov it did not allow the International Committee of the Red Cross access to its prisons.

Niyazov built up a bizarre personality cult around himself, closed the country off from the outside world, crushed any hint of dissent and radically cut back healthcare and education.

Asked to name those whose life was an example to follow, Berdymukhamedov said: ''Having before my eyes the example of Turkmenistan's first president, Saparmurat Turkmenbashi, it is hard to suppose that any other person could be a greater authority for me in politics or state affairs.'' Turkmenbashi, or the Head of the Turkmen, was one of Niyazov's official titles.

But Berdymukhamedov also said he would make good on his election campaign pledges to boost education and healthcare, and reiterated that the country was ready to back up the world's energy supplies with its natural resources.

Turkmenistan transports almost all of its gas via a Soviet-era pipeline to Russia at below-market prices. There are talks on possible new pipelines under the Caspian Sea towards Europe, China or across Afghanistan.

The new Turkmen leader kept a low profile under Niyazov who held absolute power and culled his cabinets at will.

Asked about his hobbies, Berdymukhamedov complained he had barely any time to read a book before falling asleep after working up to 16 hours a day.

He said he loved visiting Turkmenistan's nature reserves.

''When I manage to go hunting -- this happens too seldom, to be honest -- it is a real holiday for me ... Hunting for me is first of all a good excuse for yet another rendezvous with Turkmenistan's versatile nature.'' REUTERS AB RN2056