Saparmurat Niyazov , the authoritarian president of Turkmenistan , died unexpectedly early Thursday , the Turkmen government said , raising questions about succession and stability in a nation that is essential to European energy supplies .
Saparmurat Niyazov /people/person/nationality Turkmenistan
NNP NNP , DT JJ NN IN NNP , VBD RB JJ NNP , DT JJ NN VBD , VBG NNS IN NN CC NN IN DT NN DT VBZ JJ TO JJ NN NNS .
Saparmurat Niyazov
PERSON
Turkmenistan
LOCATION
/people/person/nationality