The statement said Karimov would be buried in Samarkand on Saturday according to Muslim traditions, saying he was "truly great". Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev was appointed head of the commission organising his burial. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim became the first foreign leader to offer condolences over the death of Karimov. SuccessionAmong potential successors to Karimov are Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev and his deputy Rustam Azimov. Whoever succeeds Karimov will need to balance carefully between the West, Russia and China, which all vie for influence in the resource-rich Central Asian region.

Source: bd News24 September 02, 2016 21:00 UTC