This week, all of Turkmenistan celebrated the 55th birthday of the country’s authoritarian leader, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, also known as Arkadag, meaning ”protector,” as he calls himself. Concerts and festive events on June 29th glorified Berdymukhamedov, including the opening of 18 white marble luxury apartment buildings on “10 Years of Prosperity” Avenue in Ashgabat, timed with the event, to celebrate the president’s generosity. Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, as well as the satellite broadcaster Mir24 aired a news-clip providing a glimpse into the colorful celebration of singing and dancing throughout the capital in Berdymukhamedov’s honor.
This year, the President avoided the embarrassment of performing, as he did at his last birthday celebration, when he appeared on national television playing guitar and singing a love song “My White Roses to You,” which he apparently wrote himself, on a giant video screen before a fulsome fawning and clapping concert hall audience of 3,500 in Ashgabat. At the time, the state television announced that the guitar and accordion which the President played during his performance would be placed in the national museum as a "national asset and great treasure."
Berdymukhamedov postures himself as a renaissance man, possessing diverse skills outside of the business of ruling Turkmenistan. In April, he won the country’s first car races in a Turkish-made Volkicar; one year earlier, he demonstrated impressive horsemanship on the back of a rare Akhal-Teke horse. In 2009, Berdymukhamedov, a dentist by trade, removed a lipoma from behind the ear of a patient. The collection of books he has authored continues to grow, covering topics as varied as the Akhal-Teke horse or medicinal plants. Just in time for his 55th birthday, he released two new publications: the fifth volume of his selected works entitled ”Towards New Heights of Progress,” containing his keynote speeches, scientific articles, interviews, statements, and addresses from 2011; and a photo album called “Leader of the Nation” that, according to the State News Agency of Turkmenistan, has photos revealing, “the multifaceted activities of the head of state and the dynamics of progressive changes taking place in the country on his initiative.”
Berdymukhamedov received congratulatory birthday messages from world leaders, particularly those who are tapping into Turkmenistan’s energy reserves, including President of China, Hu Jintao, and President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. Berdymukhamedov spoke cordially with the Russian leader on the phone, inviting him to visit Turkmenistan; Putin stated that, “the partnership between Russia and Turkmenistan is steadily expanding and entering a qualitatively new level,” an optimistic proclamation following some years of cooled relations after the April 2009 explosion on the Central Asia-Center pipeline, delivering Turkmenistan’s natural gas to Russia. Russia nevertheless remains a key client, and a major trading partner.
It seems that the only thing casting a shadow on Berdymukhamedov’s celebrations of his birthday is the conflict with Azerbaijan over the disputed oil field Kyapaz/ Serdar, which Turkmenistan is now intending to bring for resolution to the UN International Court of Justice. According to the State News agency of Turkmenistan, President of Azerbaijan, Ilkham Aliev, congratulated Berdymukhamedov on his birthday, despite the tension in the relations between the countries.
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