KARABAKH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MASIS MAILYAN’S ELECTION PLATFORM
BBC Monitoring research
17 Jul 07
Masis Mailyan, who is running for presidency in Nagornyy Karabakh,
has said in his election platform that this separatist region should
form a unified security system with Armenia. "We are one nation and
one Motherland, consequently we face the same risks. The security of
the Nagornyy Karabakh republic is the security of the entire Armenian
people," the election platform said. Following a war for this disputed
region in the early 1990s, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a cease-fire
in 1994, but the dispute remains unresolved after more than a decade
of negotiations and troops remain in a tense standoff. The following
is the text of Mailyan’s election platform published and distributed
in Nagornyy Karabakh ahead of the 19 July election:
Masis Samvel Mayilyan was born on 14 September 1967 in Stepanakert. In
1984 he graduated from Stepanakert Russian language school No 8. In
1991 he graduated from the department of mathematics and physics
of Stepanakert Pedagogical Institute. In 1986-88 he served in the
Soviet Army. In 1991-92 he did his postgraduate study in Yerevan
State Pedagogical Institute in the field of social psychology. In
1992-93 he was a leading specialist in the department of information
and press under the State Defence Committee of the NKR [Nagornyy
Karabakh republic].
Since the formation of the NKR foreign ministry, he started to
work there and headed the desk of international organizations, the
department of international organizations and later on the political
department, was an adviser to the foreign minister, and since July 2001
he has been occupying the position of deputy foreign minister. In 1998
he studied at Vienna Diplomatic Academy and got a degree in European
politics. Since 1993 he has been involved in negotiations on the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict settlement as a member of NKR official
delegations. He has the diplomatic rank of ambassador extraordinary
and plenipotentiary. He speaks Russian and English.
Masis Mayilyan does not belong to any political party. He is married,
with two children.
His main slogans are "Let Us Together Strengthen Our Country" and
"Only God Is Above Law".
Government structure
The main task will be to further separate power branches, as well as
capital, from the sphere of governance. The mixture of capital and
state governance will be considered inadmissible and will be prevented
by the new leadership. Ownership and entrepreneurship must be protected
exclusively within the law in force. Any manifestation of corruption,
protection and clan system will be regarded as treason.
Economy
In the structure of the NKR’s GDP the share of the processing industry
should be increased. Special attention will be paid to creating
and developing a network of agricultural product processing plants,
which will boost the development of agriculture.
The rights of local producers should be protected in every way
possible. The state has to assist local producers in finding an
export market. This will be also a task for our diplomatic and other
representation missions.
In the sphere of agriculture there should be formed a just competition
atmosphere.
People living in rural areas as well as resettlers should have a
liable credit procedure with liable mortgage mechanisms. Bureaucracy
in issuing loans should be dealt with.
Taking into consideration the existence of a common economic field
with the Republic of Armenia and economic development prospects of
the latter, the state with its coordination power has to assist the
development of market economy in the NKR and in settling relations
with Armenia as the main export destination in a mutually beneficial
way, especially in the filed of pricing.
Social benefits, free media
The new authorities of the NKR will take concrete steps in boosting
assistance and providing new preferences to groups that suffered when
defending the Motherland.
Pensions, benefits, and lump-sum grants for socially vulnerable
groups will be increased. A new flexible system of state assistance
will be formed.
A special state program to strengthen and further develop village
communities in the NKR envisages providing long-term preferential
mortgage loans to newly-formed families. Developed village communities
are guarantees of the viability and development of our state.
The entire liberated territory of Artsakh [Nagornyy Karabakh] should
be recovered and resettled in a systemic manner. The restoration of
transport and industrial infrastructure as well as increase in the
volume of capital construction are strategic priorities for the NKR.
Resettlers should go through a simplified procedure of getting NKR
citizenship.
The most important wealth of Artsakh is the uncovering and effective
development of the mental potential of our people. This is the sacred
task of the state.
Special attention will be paid to developing a talent-oriented
policy, which will stimulate the development and self-actualization
of a person.
The role of teachers should be increased. The state will assist this
by material and moral stimulation.
Socioeconomic conditions of the NKR defence army servicemen and their
families will be ameliorated.
Irreconcilable struggle will be declared on negative phenomena in
the armed forces.
Pensions and benefits to Artsakh and World War II veterans will be
taken to their apartments so that to save them from standing in queues.
A comprehensive package of programmes to develop municipal engineering
in settlements in all corners of the NKR will be developed within a
reasonable period of time.
The new leadership of the NKR will assist the development of free
mass media in every way possible.
The state will assist the formation of an effective and united
pan-Armenian information network.
The new leadership of the NKR will assist the formation of a civil
society in every way possible.
Steps will be taken towards the introduction of an obligatory medical
insurance system.
Nagornyy Karabakh settlement
In parallel with the peaceful settlement of the conflict with
Azerbaijan, effective steps should be taken towards the international
recognition of the NKR. The legal recognition of the NKR should
not depend on the settlement of the conflict or the will of the
Azerbaijani leadership.
The territorial integrity of the NKR is inviolable and covers all
the territories included in the current administrative division of
the republic.
Negotiations with Azerbaijan on the adjustment of the current borders
can take place only after Azerbaijan recognizes the NKR’s sovereignty
and independence.
The Republic of Armenia and the Nagornyy Karabakh republic should
form and develop a united system of national security in military,
political, economic and legal fields.
We are one nation and one Motherland, consequently we face the
same risks.
The security of the NKR is the security of the entire Armenian people.