MOSCOW, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russia hopes for a legal succession of power in Turkmenistan following the demise of Saparmurat Niyazov, president of Turkmenistan, who died on Thursday at the age of 66, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

    "Moscow counts that the transfer of power in Turkmenistan will be accomplished within the frame of the law and that continuity in our relations will be secured. We hope that a new leadership will act to benefit of cooperation with Russia and to benefit of the region as a whole," Lavrov was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

    The Russian administration has presented its condolences to Ashgabat and expressed the hope that new Turkmen authorities will work for the benefit of their country and its people, Lavrov said.

    President Saparmurat Niyazov of Turkmenistan died of cardiac arrest early on Thursday, the government said in an address to the public.

    The Turkmen Security Council met at an urgent sessions over measures to ensure stability, law and order in the country.