Greece appeals to EU for more border guards

Greece has appealed for the European Union to urgently send border guards to help control its maritime frontier with Turkey as well as tents, generators and first aid for arriving refugees.

More than 50,000 people have arrived in Greece seeking sanctuary or jobs in Europe in the last month, and EU partners are pressing Athens to control the influx.

If Athens fails to do enough, passport controls could be reintroduced for Greek citizens travelling in Europe.

Greece also wants the EU's border agency Frontex to help register migrants at its land border with Macedonia.

EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said officials "hope to have concrete, tangible progress on the ground" in Greece before EU leaders meet on December 17.

Greece's European affairs minister said his country has repeatedly asked for European Union help to deal with the massive influx of refugees this year, but the response so far has been far less than what was needed.

Nikos Xydakis said Greece had been "persistently" asking for technical help and manpower since May to tackle the arrival of more than 700,000 people who have passed through the country since January.

He said EU member states and the EU itself...