Pashinyan explains removal of Mount Ararat image from border entry  stamps by legitimacy reasons

ArmInfo. The matter  of the border entry stamp was raised many months ago - long before the agreement on the visit of Turkey's special representative for the  normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations to Armenia. Armenian  Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this to journalists during a  briefing on September 18. He emphasized that this has not been  and  can not be discussed in the negotiations with Turkey.

The Prime Minister denied the emerging public discourse that the  decision to remove Mount Ararat's image from border stamps was made  under pressure from Turkey. He cited the security strategy of the  Republic of Armenia, where legitimacy is a key factor. "I have  repeatedly stated this principle: we ourselves must recognize the  territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia and its  internationally recognized borders.  Why are we doing this? Because  we want to ensure the longevity of our state," the Prime Minister  noted.

All steps the government is taking, he assured, are being taken  solely to strengthen statehood, sovereignty, and security to make  Armenia  an internationally responsible partner.

The Prime Minister also noted that if there is a desire to show  something with a stamp, it should be related to Armenia's  internationally recognized borders. "If necessary, we will discuss  this issue. But right now, I don't see such a need," Pashinyan  concluded.