TURKEY LIFTS SURVEY SHIP ESCORT AS TENSION ABATES Turkey pulled warships back from close escort of its Sismik 1 survey ship as the threat of conflict with Greece over oil rights in the Aegean Sea abated. The semi-official Anatolian Agency said naval vessels ended their close protection of the ship as it continued work in Turkish waters but were following it at a distance. Popular newspapers headlined what they saw as Turkish resolve and international pressure forcing Greece to pull back from planned exploration in disputed international waters. "Intense United States and NATO efforts bore fruit: Greece will stay in its national waters," said the daily Gunes. The top-selling Hurriyet topped its front page with: "Our resolute stand made Greece see reason." But two newspapers, Cumhuriyet and Milliyet, noted in identical headlines -- "Crisis Frozen" -- that the basic disagreement over exploration rights remained unsolved. The confrontation eased after the Turkish government said it had been assured Athens would not begin prospecting in disputed waters.