Daily News
NK-Related News Compiled from Reliable Sources*

ARMEN ABGARIAN

Armen Abgarian was born on November 30, 1959 in the town of Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh.

In 1976, he finished Stepanakert secondary school N8.

In 1981, he graduated from the Physics-Mathematics Department of the Stepanakert Pedagogical Institute.

The same year, Armen Abgarian started his job at the Stepanakert Wine Factory as the Chief Engineer on safety measures.

Between 1981-1983, he served in the USSR armed forces, where he got the rank of lieutenant.

In 1983-1992, Armen Abgarian worked as a senior engineer of the civic defense service at the Stepanakert Motor-transport Association.

He was a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and was elected Secretary of the Party organization.

Since October 1992, he had worked as Deputy Chairman of the NKR Self-defense Committee, since September 1994 – Deputy Commander of the NKR Defense Army on rear issues, and in June 1999 - January 2000 – NKR Deputy Defense Minister on Rear and Armament.

He left the armed forces voluntarily.

Currently, Armen Abgarian is a Deputy of the NKR National Assembly.

In 2005, he was elected a member of the Board of “Yerkrapa” Volunteers’ Association.

A. Abgarian has government awards.

In 1997, he was awarded the golden medal of the “Industrialists’ and Entrepreneurs’ Association of Armenia”.

Armen Abgarian is non-party.

He is married and has three children.

VANYA AVANESIAN

Vanya Avanesian was born on November 18, 1934 in the town of Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh.

He finished Stepanakert secondary school N2.

The same year, he entered the Azizbekov Industrial Institute of Azerbaijan, and in 1956, having graduated from it, was assigned for practical training.

In 1957, V. Avanesian was transferred to the problem laboratory of hydromechanics at the Scientific-Research and Engineering Institute in the city of Baku as a research officer.

In 1962, he entered the post-graduate courses at the Industrial Institute of Azerbaijan.

In 1956, he upheld a Ph.D. thesis and got the scientific rank of Candidate of Technical Sciences.

In 1966, Vanya Avanesian was appointed a research officer at the Armenian Scientific-Research Institute on Waters and Water Engineering.

In 1967-1971, he worked at the Engineering Department of the Yerevan Veterinary and Zoo-veterinary Institute as an Assistant Professor.

In 1971, he was appointed the Head of the Construction Mechanics and Resistance of Materials Department at the Construction Institute in the town of Ust-Kamenogorsk, and in 1976 – Professor at the Polytechnic Institute in the town of Orenburg.

In 1978, V. Avanesian was appointed a senior research officer at the Krasnodar All-Union Scientific-Research Institute.

In 1979, he was appointed the Dean of the Physics-Mathematics Department at the Stepanakert Pedagogical Institute. Later, he occupied the positions of Department Head and Professor at the same Institute.

In 1988, V. Avanesian upheld a doctoral thesis in Moscow.

Between 1998-2002, he worked as the Rector of the Stepanakert Technical University.

Currently, he works at the Artsakh State University as a Doctor-Professor.

He is awarded the Artsakh State University medal.

In 2001, by a corresponding decree of the NKR President, V. Avanesian was awarded the “Anania Shirakatsi” medal.

He has over 107 published scientific works and books, and over 80 scientific, scientific-methodical, and educational articles in different newspapers.

Vanya Avanesian is a member of the Democratic Party of Artsakh.

He is married, has a son and two grandsons.

MASIS MAYILIAN

Masis Mayilian was born on September 14, 1967, in the town of Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh.

Between 1974-1984, he studied at Stepanakert secondary school N8.

In 1984, he entered and in 1991 graduated from the Physics-Mathematics Department of the Stepanakert Pedagogical Institute.

Between 1986-1988, M. Mayilian served in the Soviet Army.

In 1991-1992, he studied post-graduate courses at the Armenian State Pedagogical Institute, specializing in "social psychology."

From 1992 to 1993, Masis Mayilian was the leading specialist of the Information and Press Department at the NKR State Defense Committee.

In 1993, with the creation of the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he moved to the Ministry where he served in different positions, including Head of the International Organizations Section, Head of the International

Organizations Department, Advisor to the Minister, Head of the Political Department, and since 2001 - Deputy Foreign Minister.

In 1998, he studied at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. Has the qualification of a Euro-policy specialist.

Since 1993, M. Mayilian had been a member of the NKR delegation at the bilateral and multilateral negotiations on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement held under the mediation of the OSCE and Russian Federation.

Masis Mayilian has the diplomatic rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

Besides Armenian, he masters also the Russian and English languages.

He is non-party.

Masis Mayilian is married and has two children.

HRANT MELKUMIAN

Hrant Melkumian was born on April 4, 1951 in the town of Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh.

He studied at Stepanakert secondary school N1, then he was transferred to the night school in Stepanakert, math-biased class.

In 1974, he graduated from the Mechanical Machine-building Department of the Yerevan Polytechnic University. He is an engineer-mechanic.

After graduating from the University, H. Melkumian worked as a designer at the decorative watches factory in Yerevan.

In 1975, he moved to Stepanakert and worked at the electro-technical factory, later – at the Regional Committee of the NK Young Communists’ League (YCL).

In 1977, Hrant Melkumian was elected the Chairman of the NK Regional Council of Inventors and Innovators.

In April 1980, he passed to Party activity, first as an instructor at the industrial department of the NK Communist Party Regional Committee, then as the Second Secretary of the Stepanakert Municipal Committee, and later – the First Secretary.

In 1986, H. Melkumian graduated from the Higher Party School of the CPSU Central Committee as a political scientist.

Since the first days of the Karabakh National Movement, he has been one of its active participants.

In 1989, he was elected a member of the National Council.

Since 1991, H. Melkumian had worked as the chief engineer of the “Artsakh-Onyx” company, director of the Shushi radio factory, and lecturer at the Technical Sciences Department of the Artsakh State University.

Since October 1996, he had worked at the NKR Ministry of Urban Development.

Since November 1998, H. Melkumian had worked at different departments of the NKR Government Office.

Since December 2002, he has headed the Inspection Service of the NKR Government Office.

In 2001, Hrant Melkumian was elected the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Nagorno-Karabakh Communist Party.

He is married and has three children.

BAKO SAHAKIAN

Bako Sahakian was born on August 30 in the town of Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh.

In 1977, he finished Stepanakert secondary school N1.

B. Sahakian graduated from the Law Department of the Artsakh State University.

Between 1978-1980, he served in the Soviet Army.

In 1981, he worked at Stepanakert industrial mechanized complex # 9 as machinist. A year later, he was transferred to the Stepanakert construction materials complex as a stone-crush master.

In 1983-1987, B. Sahakian worked at the Stepanakert branch of the Scientific Department on Restoring Old Monuments as a master-restorer.

Between 1987-1990, he worked at the Regional Provision Department as a provider.

Since 1988, B. Sahakian has been an active participant of the Karabakh Movement.

In 1990, he entered the NKR Self-defense Forces.

In 1992-1993, he worked as the Deputy Head of the NKR Self-defense Committee on rear issues.

In 1993-1995, B. Sahakian was appointed the Head of the Rear Headquarters of the NKR Defense Army.

Between 1995-1996 he worked as Deputy Commander of the NKR DA on Foreign Relations.

In 1996-1997, B. Sahakian worked as Deputy Commander of the 10th Mountain-rifle Division of the NKR DA on rear issues.

Between 1997-1999, he worked as Assistant to the NKR Minister of Internal Affairs and Chief of the State National Security Department.

In 1999-2001, he held the post of the NKR Minister of Internal Affairs.

Since 2001, Bako Sahakian had held the position of Head of the NKR State National Security Department – Director of the NKR National Security Service.

He was awarded the 1st degree “Battle Cross”, “Vazgen Sargisian Sparapet”, and the Russian Federation 1st degree “Peter the Great” Orders, the 1st degree “Merits Before the Motherland” medal, as well as many other medals.

Bako Sahakian is a real member of the RF Academy on Security, Defense, and Law and Order Issues.

He is married and has two children.