Fake finger? Greek minister says clip of rude gesture fake

BERLIN (AP) - Greece's finance minister says a video apparently showing him raising his middle finger to Germany is fake.

The video was shown on German television late Sunday during a political talk show in which Yanis Varoufakis had been invited to discuss Greece's debt woes and relations with Germany.

In the footage, recorded at an event in Croatia two years ago, Varoufakis is seen making the rude gesture while saying that in 2010 he advocated that "Greece should simply announce that it is defaulting ... and stick the finger to Germany."

Varoufakis later told German TV host Guenther Jauch: "That video was doctored. I never gave the finger."

Jauch's production company told The Associated Press on Monday that it is vetting the video but so far hasn't found any evidence of doctoring.