UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday that positive relations between Turkey and Armenia would be in the interest and stability of the region.

In an exclusive interview with the Anatolia news agency, Ban Ki-moon touched upon Turkish-Armenian rapprochement, Alliance of Civilizations, and Turkey’s EU membership.

UN Secretary-General noted that Protocols were the “landmark” in relations.

According to him, there was a long lasting historical matter between the two countries, noting that, “however, positive and harmonized relations between Turkey and Armenia, being the two important countries of the same region, would be extremely important both for the stability and peace in the region and for the cooperation of the peoples of the two countries.”

Commenting on Turkey’s membership to EU, Ban Ki-moon said that talks should continue between Turkish and European leaders.