The spokesman told RIA Novosti that Khudaiberdy Orazov, the leader of the Vatan (Homeland) movement, currently living in Sweden, is "a real patriot," intolerant of the authoritarian regime and is capable of "reforming Turkmenistan into a modern democratic state with a developed economy."
A source in the Turkmen government said earlier that presidential elections in Turkmenistan may be held February 19, the birthday of the late authoritarian president, Saparmurat Niyazov, who died of heart failure last Thursday at the age of 66.
Niyazov ruled in an eccentric manner, erecting golden statues to himself, naming a meteorite in his name, and decreeing that his quasi-Islamic precepts, under the title of Ruhnama, be the nation's guiding principal.
The People's Council, which settles all issues in the country and has the right to amend the Constitution, is also set to submit several candidates for the presidential post at its December 26 session, according to diplomatic sources in the Central Asian country.
Orazov, whom the Turkmen Prosecutor General's Office accuses of embezzlement, told a news conference in Kiev earlier that the opposition Union of Turkmenistan's Democratic Forces will seek democracy in Turkmenistan by all means, and that a revolution is not ruled out.
"If the incumbent authorities do not respond to the international community's appeal and do not give Turkmenistan an opportunity for democratic development, the opposition will naturally boost its activities and seek the overthrow of this regime," Orazov said.
The Union of Turkmenistan's Democratic Forces urged the world community Monday to support democratic processes in Turkmenistan, including democratic presidential elections.
