At a meeting yesterday in Stepanakert with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, RMK (Republic of Mountainous Karabakh) President Bako Sahakyan once again stated that without the participation of Artsakh in the on-going negotiations process it would be impossible to reach a lasting and comprehensive resolution of the conflict. President Sahakyan pointed to the non-constructive measures taken by Azerbaijan, including continuing bellicose statements and the outright rejection of initiatives to shape a framework of mutual trust, as the primary obstacles for such a settlement. President Sahakyan told the Co-chairs that the independence and security of the RMK are not negotiable and any attempt to return to the past was fraught with unforeseen consequences. He did however say that the RMK continued to support the efforts of the Minsk Group to formulate a peaceful settlement of the conflict.