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| - Turkmenistan's hardline leader has recognised his son as an "honoured dog breeder of Turkmenistan", state media reported Thursday, as speculation grows over a potential hereditary succession in the secretive Central Asian state. Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov's 39-year-old son Serdar Berdymukhamedov dominated the news Wednesday evening for the first time as media showed him opening a state building housing associations that he heads promoting Turkmenistan's national dog and horse breeds. Berdymukhamedov, 63, who is mourning the death of his father, a former policeman, did not make an appearance during the hour-long programme. State newspaper Neutral Turkmenistan reported that Serdar Berdymukhamedov had received the breeding honour from his father via the speaker of Turkmenistan's lower house. Serdar Berdymukhamedov praised the alabai sheepdog as "the national pride and heritage of the (Turkmen) people", according to the Thursday newspaper report. The Alabai and the Akhal-Teke horse, also a national breed, are both feted by monuments in the capital Ashgabat and will be celebrated together for the first time in a state holiday on Sunday. Usually Turkmenistan's evening news is entirely devoted to the latest activities of the president, whether he is composing songs with his grandson Kerimguly Berdymukhamedov or making speeches as officials scribble notes. But on Wednesday it was the younger Berdymukhamedov doing the speaking as he inspected the new building that includes a museum dedicated to the two animals. One exhibit in the museum was a screen showing archival footage of the Turkmen leader gifting alabai puppies to Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Addressing members of the Alabai Association, Serdar Berdymukhamedov proposed he be called "president" rather than "chairman" of the association. The members accepted the proposal. Serdar Berdymukhamedov only became head of the national horse association last week, replacing his father in the highly symbolic role. In February he was elevated from minister to the role of deputy premier and given a seat on the powerful security council while also becoming the country's top auditor. Turkmenistan does not have a prime minister, with Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov currently occupying the roles of head of state, head of cabinet and head of the upper house of the bicameral parliament. The gas-rich former Soviet country of around six million people is regularly cited by rights groups as one of the world's worst abusers of civic, religious and press freedoms. al-cr/acl/bp
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