GREECE said yesterday it wanted Italy and the Netherlands to recall their military attache's in Athens after they were detained with documents which "could have been related to information on military installations".
A written statement by government spokesman Mr Dimitris Reppas said the attache's, both from EU countries, were not charged with criminal activities because of their diplomatic status.
"Notes were found which belonged to them and could have been related to information on military installations on (the eastern Aegean) island of Lesvos the statement said.
"Their recall has been requested."
The statement gave no details, but it followed a question in parliament by a ruling Socialist party deputy who said the two attaches were detained on Lesvos on January 27th, shortly before Greece and Turkey almost went to war over an Aegean islet.
Earlier yesterday, the Greek navy said a Greek missile boat and a Turkish coast guard vessel had collided during manoeuvres around the disputed eastern Aegean islet, but there were only minor damages and no injuries.
A navy statement said the incident took place on Thursday morning close to Imia, the islet that brought the rival Nato allies to the brink of war in January. The Greek ship was trying to chase off the Turkish boat, the statement said.
"The bow of the Turkish ship touched with the stern of the Greek one. There were minor damages which have already been repaired" it said.
Greece and Turkey sent their navies on January 30th to claim Imia, which Turkey calls Kardak, and a clash was averted after a US brokered compromise.
. Turkey's divided conservatives took another step towards forming a government yesterday, and are set to announce details of a proposed coalition at the weekend, caretaker Prime Minister Ms Tansu Ciller said.
"We expect to announce the coalition's framework and outlines on Sunday", Ms Ciller said after meeting Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mr Mesut Yilmaz.
A right wing alliance, long sought by Turkey's business community, would deny power to Islamists who came a narrow first at December general elections.