Greece, responding to a warning by Turkeyagainst conducting oil activities in the Aegean Sea, said today
it had the right to decide where and how to do research or
drilling work in the area.
    A government spokesman said the Greek position was made
clear to Turkey's ambassador Nazmi Akiman when he met Greek
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Yannis Kapsis last week.
    Acting Turkish Prime Minister Kaya Erdem said earlier today
Greek activities in the northern Aegean contravened the 1976
Berne Agreement which set the framework for talks on the Aegean
continental shelf disputed between Ankara and Athens.
    The Greek statement today said, "Greece is not prepared to
give up even a trace of its sovereignty rights to the seabed.
It has been stressed to...Mr Akiman that the decision where or
how to drill belongs exclusively to the Greek government."
    "The Greek government has repeatedly let the Turkish side
know that it considers the 1976 Berne protocol as inactive
through the fault of Turkey," it said.
    The Greek statement said Athens was ready to put the
continental shelf issue before international courts.
 Reuter
