Turkmenistan's acting president says he will lift restrictions on Internet use in the closed country if he wins next month's election.

The United States said Wednesday it wants to see an inclusive process to choose a new leader in Turkmenistan, and that the Central Asian country has a long way to go to achieve that goal. Opposition groups complain of being shut out of the process to choose a new president to succeed the late authoritarian ruler Saparmurad Niyazov, who died December 21. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Turkmenistan's Foreign Ministry has released a statement complaining about "false statements" in Russian media from "certain so-called political analysts" concerning n alleged coup in Turkmenistan following the death of President Saparmurat Niyazov earlier this month.

An opposition group in Turkmenistan says its candidate for next year's presidential elections is missing.

The United States Wednesday urged a free, fair and open election in Turkmenistan to replace authoritarian president Saparamat Niyazov, who died last week. The parliament of the Central Asian country has approved a six-member slate of candidates but none from the exiled opposition. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Turkmenistan's People's Assembly, the country's highest legislative body, has approved acting Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov as a candidate for president in a February vote.

As health minister of Turkmenistan, he presided over a medical system regarded as one of the world's worst including the closure of all hospitals outside the capital. Now Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov is suddenly head of the country.

Turkmenistan's acting president says officials will announce Tuesday a date for elections to choose a successor to the late President Saparmurat Niyazov.

No matter where you went in Turkmenistan, there was no getting away from President Saparmurat Niyazov.

For Russia, Saparmurat Niyazov's death means, on the one hand, the pleasing prospect of a less isolated Turkmenistan. On the other, there is the very real possibility that Ashgabat's gas supplies to Russia will dry up as the Central Asian nation navigates a new course.

Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov's death today leaves many questions about his country's future.

Turkmen President-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov, also refered as Father of all Turkmens has died of heart attack, a government source told Reuters on Thursday. "It happened overnight. The president has died," the source said.

"Turkmenbashi (Head of the Turkmen) the Great has died," said a news presenter on Turkmen state-controlled television.