People throw flowers on limousines as they gather along a road to watch the funeral procession of President Islam Karimov in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, early Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016. Karimov has died of a stroke at age 78, the Uzbek government announced Friday. (Umida Akhmedova/Associated Press)MOSCOW — Uzbekistan’s widely criticized authoritarian leader Islam Karimov was hailed as a statesman and democrat by his government as he was laid to rest Saturday in the ancient silk road city of Samarkand. Karimov became the leader of Uzbekistan in 1989, when it was a Soviet republic, and held power with ruthless determination throughout all of Uzbekistan’s independence. Azimov stands out for his management skills and his wide network of contacts, Atayeva said, whereas “Mirziyoyev elicits more antipathy for his harsh character and corruption history.”On the sidelines of the funeral, Mirziyoyev met with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev.

Source: Washington Post September 03, 2016 07:22 UTC