{{Short description|Artsakhian politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Masis Mayilyan | native_name = {{nobold|Մասիս Մայիլյան}} | image = Արցախի Հանրապետության ԱԳ նախարար Մասիս Մայիլյան.jpg | caption = Mayilyan in 2018 | office = Foreign Minister of Artsakh | president = Bako Sahakyan<br>Arayik Harutyunyan | term_start = 25 September 2017 | term_end = 4 January 2021 | predecessor = Karen Mirzoyan | successor = David Babayan | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1967|9|14}} | birth_place = Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union | death_date = | death_place = | party = Independent }} '''Masis Samveli Mayilyan''' ({{langx|hy|Մասիս Սամվելի Մայիլյան}}; born 14 September 1967) is a politician, diplomat and former presidential candidate who previously worked in the Republic of Artsakh. From September 2017 until January 2021, he served as the Foreign Minister of Artsakh.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aravot-en.am/2019/08/28/239258/|title=I welcome the observation of holding unconditionally free, fair and transparent elections in Artsakh: Masis Mayilyan|last=|first=|date=|website=Aravot|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-04}}</ref>
== Biography == ===Early life and education=== Mayilyan was born on 14 September 1967 in Stepanakert, the capital of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, then a part of the Azerbaijani SSR. From 1984 to 1991 he studied at the Stepanakert State Pedagogical Institute and graduated from the Department of Physics and Mathematics, majoring in engineering and physics. From 1991 to 1992 he pursued his postgraduate studies Armenian State Pedagogical University in Yerevan. He graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna in 1998.<ref name="despan">{{cite web |url=https://despan.am/hy/republic-of-artsakh-ministers/ |title=Արցախի Հանրապետության դիվանագիտական ներկայացուցիչներ |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=despan.am |publisher= |access-date=25 January 2021 |quote=}}</ref>
===Career=== Mayilyan began his career at the State Defense Committee of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic from 1992 to 1993. He worked as the chief expert for the committee's information and press sections. In 1993 he began his work at the Foreign Ministry of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, where he occupied various posts and participated in the negotiation process for the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.<ref name="despan"/> From 2001 to 2007, he served as Deputy Foreign Minister under President Arkadi Ghukasyan.<ref name="despan"/>
=== 2007 Artsakh presidential election === In the 2007 Artsakh presidential election, Mayilyan ran for President of Artsakh for the first time, receiving 12.53% of the vote and coming in at second place behind Bako Sahakyan, who won 85.12% of the vote and became Artsakh's third president.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/1077728.html|title=Former Security Chief Wins Nagorno-Karabakh Vote|last=|first=|date=|website=rferl.org|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=25 January 2021}}</ref>
=== Foreign Minister and 2020 presidential campaign=== On 25 September 2017, Mayilyan was appointed Foreign Minister by President Bako Sahakyan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://newsarmenia.am/am/news/nagorno_karabakh/-Masis-Mayilyany-nshanakvel-e-Arcakhi-AG-/|title=Մասիս Մայիլյանը նշանակվել է Արցախի ԱԳ նախարար|last=|first=|date=25 September 2017|website=newsarmenia.am|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=25 January 2021}}</ref> He participated in 2020 Artsakhian general election as a presidential candidate and was endorsed by New Artsakh Alliance<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.am/eng/news/557316.html|title=Alliance of Artsakh political parties to endorse current Karabakh FM in upcoming elections|website=news.am|language=en|access-date=2020-04-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.am/eng/news/568790.html|title=Artsakh presidential candidate canceling pre-election meetings|website=news.am|language=en|access-date=2020-04-04}}</ref> and Samvel Babayan's United Motherland party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.evnreport.com/politics/artsakh-s-2020-election-the-essential-primer|title=Artsakh's 2020 Election: The Essential Primer|website=www.evnreport.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-04}}</ref> He came at the second place in the first round of the election and a run-off between him and Arayik Harutyunyan was held on 14 April 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hetq.am/hy/article/115372|title=Արայիկ Հարությունյանն ու Մասիս Մայիլյանը կմասնակցեն Արցախի նախագահական ընտրությունների երկրորդ փուլին|website=Hetq.am|language=hy|access-date=2020-04-11}}</ref> However, he made an announcement urging the people of Artsakh not to participate in the second round of elections in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.azatutyun.am/a/30532496.html|title=Մասիս Մայիլյանը կոչ է անում համավարակի պայմաններում չմասնակցել երկրորդ փուլի քվեարկությանը|website=«Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն» ռադիոկայան|language=hy|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.am/arm/news/570603.html|title=Կոչ եմ անում կորոնավիրուսի վտանգի պայմաններում չմասնակցել երկրորդ փուլի քվեարկությանը․ Մասիս Մայիլյան|website=news.am|language=hy|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref> Mayilyan received nearly 12% in the run-off vote, while Arayik Harutyunyan received 88% of the vote and became the 4th President of Artsakh.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.azatutyun.am/a/30555437.html|title=Արայիկ Հարությունյանն ընտրվել է Արցախի նախագահ, ստացել է 88 տոկոս քվե. ԿԸՀ|last=Harutyunyan|first=Sargis|date=15 April 2020|website=azatutyun.am|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=25 January 2021}}</ref>
Mayilyan was reappointed to the post of foreign minister after the inauguration of President Arayik Harutyunyan in May 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.azatutyun.am/a/30641263.html|title=Մասիս Մայիլյանը՝ Արցախի ԱԳ նախարար, Սամվել Բաբայանը՝ ԱԽ քարտուղար|last=|first=|date=29 May 2020|website=azatutyun.am|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=25 January 2021}}</ref> On 1 December 2020, in the aftermath of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, President Harutyunyan announced that a national unity government would be formed and a number of cabinet officials would be replaced.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eurasianet.org/nagorno-karabakh-shuffles-top-officials-plans-new-elections|title=Nagorno-Karabakh shuffles top officials, plans new elections|last=Meljumyan|first=Ani|date=7 January 2021|website=eurasianet.org|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=25 January 2021}}</ref> Masis Mayilyan was dismissed in early January 2021 and was made an ambassador-at-large. He was succeeded by David Babayan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.armradio.am/2021/01/04/artsakhs-former-fm-masis-mayilian-appointed-ambassador-at-large/|title = Artsakh's former FM Masis Mayilian appointed Ambassador-at-Large}}</ref>
== See also ==
* List of current foreign ministers * Foreign relations of Artsakh
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category}}
* [http://gov.nkr.am/en/ministries/head/177/ Official Biography by the government] {{s-start}} {{s-off }} {{s-bef | before = Karen Mirzoyan }} {{s-ttl | title = Foreign Minister of Artsakh | years = 25 September 2017–4 January 2021 }} {{s-aft | after = David Babayan }} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:People from Stepanakert Category:Foreign ministers of the Republic of Artsakh Category:Armenian diplomats