Former PM Giorgos Papandreou was in Istanbul planting trees at the same with the Turkish PM's inflammatory rhetoric denying the existence of the Cyprus Republic.

"There is no country named Cyprus," said Turkish PM Recep Tayip Erdogan speaking to Turkish-Cypriot daily Kibris at the conclusion of a meeting in Poland addressing Turkey's relations with the European Union.

German newspaper Die Welt has published a new scenario for an alternative government in Greece, according to which New Democracy will seek a coalition with Independent Greeks and Democratic Left parties to avoid premature elections.

Rifle and machine gun ammunition were found in the first containers from the cargo vessel NOUR-M opened by Greek authorities.