MAKHACHKALA, Russia, April 4 (Reuters) - The parliament of Russia's Dagestan republic elected a new speaker on Wednesday, a move seen as strengthening Moscow's control over the volatile, mostly Muslim region which neighbours Chechnya. Russia has fought two bloody wars to appease separatist Chechnya. Neighbouring Dagestan, with many locals sympathetic to Chechen rebels, has seen bombings and killings. Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped in last year and nominated Mukhu Aliyev for Dagestani president, ending the 23-year rule of previous leader Magomedali Magomedov. Analysts said new speaker Magomed Suleimanov, a low-profile mayor of a small town, was now expected to work in tandem with the Kremlin-backed Aliyev to ensure stability in the clan-ridden Caucasus area plagued by violence. "The fact that such a heavyweight as Magomedov can no longer influence the situation means Mukhu Aliyev is consolidating his power," political analyst Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev told Reuters. "He has proved his viability as a politician, and it is quite possible that, discarding the legacy of the Magomedov era, Aliyev will soon be ready for sweeping changes in government." A source in the Dagestani parliament, who asked not to be named, said: "This (new) team would be capable of defending him (Aliyev) in tough stand-offs with political rivals." The republic on the Caspian Sea has since Soviet times developed an entrenched clan system with many strong power-hungry players. Analysts blame a combination of organised crime and Islamic militants for the violence in Dagestan which is a patchwork of various ethnic groups.
