referendum extended
NIYAZOV's term an additional five years until 2002 (99.99% approval)
head of government: Prime Minister (vacant); Deputy Prime Ministers
Mukhamed ABALAKOV (since NA), Babamurad BAZAROV (since NA), Hekim
ISHANOV (since NA), Valeriy OTCHERTSOV (since NA), Yagmur OVEZOV
(since NA), Matkarim RAJAPOV (since NA), Pirkuly ODEYEV (since NA),
Rejep SAPAROV (since NA), Boris SHIKHMURADOV (since NA), Batyr
SARJAYEV (since NA), Amannazar ILAMANOV (since NA), Ilaman SHYKHYYEV
(since NA) were appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president
note: NIYAZOV has been asked by various local groups, most recently
on 26 October 1995 at the annual elders meeting, to be "president
for life," but that would require an amendment to the constitution

Legislative branch: under the 1992 constitution, there are two
parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council (Halk Maslahaty
- having more than 100 members and meeting infrequently) and a
50-member unicameral Assembly (Majlis)
Assembly (Majlis): elections last held 11 December 1994 (next to be
held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (50
total) Democratic Party 45, other 5; note - all 50 preapproved by
President NIYAZOV

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Turkmenistan,
Saparmurat NIYAZOV; Party for Democratic Development, Durdymurat
HOJA-MUHAMEDOV, chairman; Agzybirlik, Nurberdy NURMAMEDOV,
cochairman, Hubayberdi HALLIYEV, cochairman
note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small
opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries

International organization participation: CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE,
ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE,
PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Halil UGUR
chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 412, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 737-4800
FAX: [1] (202) 737-1152

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. COTTER
embassy: 9 Pushkin Street, Ashgabat
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [7] (3632) 35-00-45, 35-00-46, 35-00-42, Tie Line [8]
962-0000
FAX: [7] (3632) 51-13-05

Flag: green field, including a