PAPANDREOU SAYS GREEKS READY FOR AGGRESSORS Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou said today that the Greek armed froces were ready to tackle any aggressors following the sailing of a Turkish research vessel and warships towards disputed waters in the Aegean Sea. Papandreou told an emergency cabinet meeting in Athens "the military readiness of our country is able now to give a very hard lesson if our neighbours (Turkey) were to carry out military actions." He said the activities of the research vessel could be aimed at partitioning the Aegean. "The air force, navy and army are in a state of alert," General Guven Ergenc, Secretary General of the Turkish General Staff, told a news conference. He said the Turkish research ship Sismik 1, escorted by an unspecified number of warships, would sail into disputed waters in the Aegean Sea tomorrow morning. Ergenc told Reuters later that all leave had been cancelled for members of the armed forces in the Aegean coast area. The Turkish government said yesterday it had licensed the state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corp to explore for oil in international waters around three Greek islands off Turkey. Greece and Turkey have long-standing disputes over areas of the Aegean and the presence of Turkish troops in Cyprus. The latest row erupted when the Greek government said last month that it was taking control of a Canadian-led consortium which was already producing oil off the Greek island of Thassos and would drill in the same area after the takeover. Ergenc told the news conference the alert followed a government decision that Turkey should protect its interests "because of measures Greece has been taking in the Aegean in violation of international agreements." Asked how Turkey would react if Greece attacked any of the vessels, he said "If there is an attack, it is clear what has to be done. An attack on a warship is a cause for war." But he added "We are not in a state of war. The measures taken by the military are directed towards protecting our rights." Greece said yesterday it would defend its national rights in the Aegean and urged Turkey to accept reference of the dispute to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Yalim Eralp told reporters today this was unacceptable because of preconditions Athens had attached. In Athens, Greek Prime Minister Papandreou said that if the Turkish vessel Sismik 1 began research operations "we will hinder it, of course not with words, as it cannot be stopped with words." Greek newspapers said the armed forces were on alert and navy ships had gone to the Aegean. But government spokesman Yannis Roubatis did not confirm the move, saying only "The Greek fleet is not at its naval base." Papandreou said that a map issued in Turkey showed 95 pct of the areas proposed for research were on the Greek continental shelf. Papandreou told the U.S. And NATO that if they had a part in orchestrating the present crisis in order to force Greece to negotiate with Turkey, the Greek government would not accept it. Papandreou has maintained in the past that he will not negotiate with Ankara until Turkey recognises Greek rights in the Aegean and withdraws its troops from Cyprus. He said that in the case of war with Turkey it would not be possible for Greece to discuss the future of American military bases here. Asked by reporters if he would close the U.S. Bases in Greece in the event of war, Papandreou replied "Obviously, and perhaps even before the war."