YEREVAN. – Ex-President Robert Kocharyan's illegal detention is of paramount importance to Armenian-Russian relations, including in domestic life, no matter how much the authorities say, "No, that's not the case," but an attempt was made months ago to falsify the statement of one of the high-ranking Russian officials that this arrest will not affect Armenian-Russian relations. Viktor Soghomonyan, head of the office of the second President of Armenia, stated this during a local TV program, and he assured that this official had a telephone conversation with him and assured that he had not said such a thing.

"I hope that the relations will be maintained until these ‘wrinkles’ are eliminated, but I cannot guarantee that it will be the so in the future, too" Soghomonyan added. "A month ago, there was a leak in one of the prominent Russian periodicals, which was not accidental that if President Kocharyan's illegal detention is not eliminated, Armenian-Russian relations may suffer. I hope they will not suffer and our people will not suffer damages."