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Akbar Novruz

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Armenia is preparing to update its passport border stamps for entry and exit, a move that has already ignited intense debate across Armenia’s political spectrum. The government announced on September 15 that the new stamps, set to take effect on November 1, 2025, will feature only Armenia’s official state symbols, dropping the long-standing depiction of Mount Ağrı (Ararat), which lies within Türkiye’s territory.

In recent years, Armenia’s statehood has been shaken to its core. The outcome of the Second Garabagh War left not only physical but also political scars, triggering deep domestic upheavals and a reassessment of the country’s foreign policy direction. Against this backdrop, Yerevan’s latest decision to redesign its border passport stamps, removing the image of Mount Ağrı (Ararat), which lies within Türkiye’s territory, has sparked heated debate at home.

For the authorities, the move signals pragmatism. By aligning official state symbols strictly with internationally recognized borders, the government is sending a calculated message: Armenia’s sovereignty is best preserved not through nostalgia but through realpolitik. As ruling party MP Artur Hovhannisyan explained, “In our relations with neighbours, we rely on the Alma-Ata Declaration, so that each of our actions does not send dangerous signals.” It is a statement that underscores how far Yerevan has shifted from its once uncompromising positions.

Yet, the backlash has been fierce. Former foreign minister Vartan Oskanian condemned the decision as “a troubling moment in our national story,” while opposition deputy Artur Khachatryan accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of capitulating to Turkish pressure, framing the change as part of a humiliating chain of concessions. For many Armenians, the removal of Mount Ararat is not just a matter of design—it strikes at the heart of identity, history, and dignity. Opposition figures, like Artur Khachatryan of the “Armenia” faction, went further, accusing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of trading away symbols of sovereignty for short-term diplomatic gains, even suggesting it was a “price paid” for talks with Ankara

Still, to view this decision purely through an emotional lens risks missing the larger picture. Armenia cannot afford to maintain a perpetual state of hostility with its neighbours, particularly at a time when its strategic partnership with Russia has become hollow and symbolic. Moscow’s credibility as a guarantor of Armenian security has collapsed, compelling Yerevan to seek alternative paths. One of those paths is a cautious but deliberate step toward normalizing relations with Türkiye.

Following the initial signing of the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington, both countries are now considering reopening their borders with Türkiye. However, there is still an important step to be taken - the final peace agreement waiting to be ratified. Nevertheless, the Pashinyan administration and its Western allies are committed to this objective and appear poised to achieve it. Modifying the Constitution is a challenging task for Pashinyan’s administration, but given the current situation, it is unavoidable.

If Ankara responds constructively, this decision could mark the beginning of a broader thaw, eventually paving the way for restored diplomatic relations not only with Türkiye but also, inevitably, with Azerbaijan. Such a breakthrough, while unlikely to erase decades of anti-Turkish propaganda overnight, would recalibrate Armenia’s regional standing and help integrate it into a more stable order.

Thus, opposition from certain financial backers is unlikely to have a significant impact.

Painful decisions, whether about constitutional amendments, peace agreements, or symbolic gestures like the passport stamps, are now inevitable for Yerevan. The West supports this direction, and Pashinyan’s government appears committed to seeing it through despite domestic resistance.

Armenia is, in effect, redrawing its identity, not just on paper, but in the very symbols through which it presents itself to the world. The coming years will determine whether this gamble on pragmatism secures the sovereignty and stability that Armenia has long struggled to achieve.