The Eurasian Economic Union came into being on 1 January 2015 with three member states - Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia. Armenia officially joined a day later.

Leaders addressed their compatriots on the occasion of the new year in televised broadcasts that struck a distinctly different tone.

The editorial team of commonspace.eu wishes a happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year 2015 to our readers in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and other parts of the Caucasus Region, as well as in Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Iran, Europe, North America and the rest of the world.

Abkhaz Deputy Foreign Minister, Kan Taniya, tells commonspace.eu the new treaty with Russia has nothing to do with annexation.

Vahan Hovhannisian was a rare type of Armenian politician who combined political astuteness and resolve, with great personal charm and wit.

In a report by a Bonn based institute Armenia is placed third and Azerbaijan tenth in the study on global militarisation for 2014.

The editorial team of commonspace.eu wishes a Merry Christmas to our readers in Europe, North America and worldwide.

A spokesperson for LINKS, one of the organisers of the event, said "We very much hope that Governments in the region, the international community, and civil society, will study these ideas and take at least some of them forward in 2015"

The European Parliament has voted by 490 votes to 76 to ratify Georgia's Association Agreement with the EU.

The South Ossetians want unity with Russia, and they want it now. Even Mr Putin may not be ready for that. Joseph Alexander Smith reports from Tbilisi on the latest from the leadership of the self-declared republic.