Dendias: Turkey is like North Korea with its threats, the majority of Turkish citizens want peace

Speaking to Parliament, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias likened the provocative rhetoric of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the regime of Kim Jong-un in North Korea.

"Our homeland is a pillar of stability and an energy hub. The forces of revisionism are disturbed by them," said the Greek foreign minister.

"They are increasing their provocative behaviour with North Korea-style threats that include missiles and reports that Greece has no sovereignty on its islands unless it demilitarises them and with stories like the so-called Blue homeland and attempts to upgrade the pseudo-state [of occupied Cyprus].

"I repeat the Greek position on the Cyprus issue. Cyprus is not far away and we will not stop responding to every illegal statement, illegal agreement and every rhetoric against us. We will deconstruct every attack against us with arguments based on International Law," he said.

At the same time, Dendias said that "Turkish revisionism is trying to overturn the balance of the wider region. The world has changed. We have as a basic principle the International Law and the peaceful resolution of disputes."

"This policy of principles and values ​​we chose requires calmness and sobriety. Greece does not respond to propaganda with propaganda. This separates the Democratic world from authoritarianism. The logic of 19th century gunboat diplomacy is gone.

"The perception of the government and society is that the vast majority of people in Turkey want peace, stability and cooperation because these will bring development and prosperity to the region and this is what Greece is seeking."

At the same time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, addressing the opposition in the context of the debate on the motion of no confidence tabled by SYRIZA, he emphasised that "the acquis of consensus on foreign policy issues during the pre-election period should not be broken."

Finally, he expressed his optimism that in the upcoming national elections that citizens will renew their trust in the ruling New Democracy and the government.

READ MORE: Erdoğan's message to the US: "Greece's provocative actions is increasing tension."