Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos reportedly harked back on his prep school days in England to employ a famous quote often attributed to Mark Twain in order to respond to heightened speculation over his standing in the government.
The development came after Tsakalotos failed to make statements or a public appearance following a Eurogroup decision on Monday.
"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated," is the statement, in Greek, carried by the pro-government daily "Efimerida Ton Syntakton".
It was not apparent, however, if Tsakalotos himself made the quip, or if it was relayed to the paper by his close associates.
Circles close to the UK-trained economist denied main opposition New Democracy charges that he's been in communicado since the Monday Eurogroup. Creditors and Athens reached a compromise on the sidelines of the venue in Brussels to allow negotiators to return to Greece in order for a conclusion to the delayed second review of the bailout to be achieved.
ND, on its part, issued a prickly statement, calling on Tsakalotos to stop claiming he's not proficient in Greek and to brief the country on exactly what the agreement made on Monday entails.
