nt

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28
December 1999 by the Assembly (Majlis) during a session of the
People's Council (Halk Maslahaty)

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 21 June 1992 (next scheduled to be held NA); note
- President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life
by the Assembly on 28 December 1999); deputy chairmen of the cabinet
of ministers are appointed by the president

election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without
opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%

Legislative branch: under the 1992 constitution, there are two
parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk
Maslahaty (more than 100 seats, some of which are elected by popular
vote and some of which are appointed; meets infrequently) and a
unicameral Assembly or Majlis (50 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: People's Council - NA; Assembly - last held 12 December
1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results: Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - NA; note - all 50 elected officials preapproved by
President NIYAZOV; most are from the DPT

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the
president)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or
DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV]

note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small
opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Mered ORAZOV

chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500

FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Steven R. MANN

embassy: 9 Pushkin Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45

FAX: [9] (9312) 51-13-05

Flag description: green f