Pashinyan is moving to the issue of Russian border guards on the border with Iran and Turkey

To put it as simply as possible, the Overton window is a concept that implies that there is a range of opinions and topics that the public approves or condemns, and those who express these ideas are politicians, activists, and media personalities. This is one way to explain how unacceptable and ”taboo” ideas become mainstream—and vice versa.

In 2022, the topic of the surrender of Artsakh to Azerbaijan was opened by Nikol Pashinyan, who from the rostrum of the National Assembly talked about the need to lower the bar of expectations for the status of Artsakh. It all ended with the complete absorption of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Artsakh, from an established statehood, where the government was formed according to generally accepted democratic norms and practices, has turned into a gray zone, where only 14 Armenians live today.

And so, Armenia is once again “overstepping the mark” and opening another Overton window, MP from the Pashinyan faction “Civil Contract” Gagik Melkonyan talks about the potential withdrawal of Russian border guards from the Armenian border with Iran and Turkey.

“We are not discussing today, but tomorrow we can discuss whether Russian border guards will remain on the border of Armenia with Iran and Turkey or not. We are an independent state, we must protect the borders of our country, a third country should not protect us,” Melkonyan said.

If we translate Melkonyan’s language into universal, it becomes clear that the government team is discussing the fulfillment of Azerbaijan and Turkey’s next demand related to the withdrawal of the Russian military presence from Armenia. Of course, they present this to the public as a “struggle for sovereignty”, but in reality, if what Melkonyan announced happens, the entire security system of Armenia will collapse overnight, and it is difficult to understand what will keep Aliyev and Erdogan from trying to invade the territory of Armenia.

If you doubt that Ilham Aliyev and Turkey are hatching plans to eliminate Armenian statehood, then read the reaction of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry to the statements made by Nikol Pashinyan on September 10. Baku openly says that it does not intend to abandon their current Constitution, which contains territorial claims against Armenia. Their Constitution indicates that for Baku, the Azerbaijani territories are not only the Armenian Artsakh and Syunik but also certain sections of the Armavir, Ararat, Gegharkunik, Tavush, Lori, Shirak, and Vayots Dzor regions of Armenia.

James O’Brien, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, would definitely be satisfied with Melkonyan’s position, which voices Pashinyan’s deep plans. In order to withdraw Russia from the region, the West has already taken Artsakh to the guillotine, so why not do this with Armenia?

Melkonyan’s statement is also of interest in the context of internal political discussions in Armenia, which began after August 31 following Nikol Pashinyan’s press conference. A number of political actors began to note that Pashinyan’s statements “returned to the pro-Russian side of foreign policy.”

The idea thrown into the public discourse by Gagik Melkonyan, which presupposes the complete elimination of the Russian military presence in Armenia, gives a telling answer to all statements about the alleged “return of Pashinyan to Russia’s bosom.”

Think about it…