There were earlier concerns about the health of the Georgian Catholicos, but although looking frail Patriarch Ilia II sent Christmas greetings to the faithful

The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Christmas on 6 January. Catholicos of All Armenians, Garegin II, conducted mass at Echmiadzin in the presence of Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan and other state officials.

The non governmental organisation, Caspian Defence Studies Institute, said that in 2016 Azerbaijan lost 147 servicemen, whilst Armenia lost 165. Most died during the heavy feeting between Armenia and Azerbaijani forces in the Karabakh conflict zone in April 2016

Members of Iran's large Armenian community gathered at St Sarkis Cathedral in Tehran on Saturday to welcome the new year and give a start to the Christmas celebrations, which the Armenian Apostolic Church marks on 6 January.

Turkey is a great country, and its people industrious and creative, and it will recover. But in the meantime the world needs to show solidarity, support and friendship. The lowering of the flags of NATO countries to half mast at NATO headquarters in Brussels (photo) symbollically expressed the shared pain.

The governments of the three South Caucasus countries need to pursue policies that will contribute to national cohesion as they deal with domestic and external challenges in 2017. The extent to which they can fulfil their ambitious agendas for the year ahead will depend on their willingness and ability to do so

The leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia extended new year greetings to their citizens in short televised addresses in the last minutes of 2016, in which they gave special importance to economic issues, reflecting ongoing concerns among their citizens

The editorial team of commonspace.eu extend best wishes to our readers and subscribers in the Caucasus region and worldwide. We wish you a happy, peaceful and prosperous 2017

In 2017 Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia will have to navigate through an even more challenging and complicated regional and international context, and with heightened risks

"Moscow has to walk on a thin line in order both to keep solidarity within the institutions that it patronises, and to safeguard its own interests which at the moment are best served by not alienating Azerbaijan, whilst keeping Armenia firmly in the fold"