The editorial team of commonspace.eu extends season's greetings to our readers in the Caucasus region and beyond. We wish you all a very happy Christmas.

The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in an effort to resolve the Karabakh conflict, but even as the talks were ongoing incidents on the front line continued.

Three Armenian servicemen and one Azerbaijani soldier were killed on the contact line during the last night.

Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan will meet in Bern, Switzerland on December 19.

France, Russia and the United States reject claims that they are to blame for setbacks in the negotiations on Karabakh and point finger at Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In his opening remarks the Prime Minister of Serbia, Alexander Vucic, urged participants to work together to strengthen the principles of the Helsinki Final Act.

The latest events further complicate the situation in the region, and all South Caucasus states must be hoping for a de-escalation of tension as soon as possible.

The meeting brings together Ministers and high level officials of the six Eastern Partnership countries.

Ambassador Herbert Salber was first appointed as EUSR for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia on 8 July 2014. His term is now extended until February 2017.

In Belgrade on 3-4 December the co-Chair countries will have as a minimum to show that the parties to the conflict remain engaged in negotiations, preferably by announcing the dates for a presidential summit.