Greece and Turkey have urged one another to abide by a NATO-brokered accord aimed at easing tension on the Aegean Sea.

The Greek foreign minister, Theodoros Pangalos, said Athens would uphold the deal -- announced on Thursday by the NATO Secretary General, Javier Solana -- and called on Turkey to do the same.

Describing the accord as a significant step, the Turkish foreign ministry urged Greece to implement it.

The two countries have numerous territorital disputes in the area, and in 1996 came close to military conflict over the ownership of uninhabited islands in the Aegean.

Among other things, the accord calls for a moratorium on military manoeuvres on the Aegean during July and August.

The Turkish armed forces began a big naval exercise in the Mediterranean three days ago.