E/CN.4/1995/91 page 39 I also wish to take this opportunity to enclose for your information my Foreign Minister’s statement to the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana regarding the northern conflict on 23 March 1994. The statement is very clear on the background to the conflict and it will be very misleading to read any religious causes into it. As regards the alleged difficulty encountered by missionaries in obtaining visas and residence permits, this Mission is at a loss in understanding why the matter is being raised here. Missionaries, like any other foreign visitors, require visas to enter Ghana as is the practice with numerous countries. In Ghana’s case, applications for visas or residence permits are treated on their own merits and it is inconceivable that a visa application will be refused just because the applicant is a missionary. If, on the other hand, a missionary is making an application with the sole purpose of visiting an area of conflict, then I submit that the Special Rapporteur should be the first to understand the alleged difficulty which might stem from the desire not to expose the applicant, be he a missionary or an ordinary tourist, to danger. In point of fact, paragraph 24 of my Foreign Minister’s statement specifically advised the members of the Diplomatic Corps not to visit the conflict areas for obvious reasons. The Honourable Foreign Minister went on further to clarify the procedure that must be followed should such a visit become absolutely necessary. Finally, the Mission would like to caution the Special Rapporteur on basing his actions on reports that at best can be described as sketchy and lacking in substance. Having said this, let me assure the Special Rapporteur that this Mission and the Government of Ghana remain ready and willing to cooperate with him to address serious concerns which are germane to the fulfilment of his mandate." Greece In a communication dated 3 November 1994, the Special Rapporteur transmitted the following information to the Government of Greece: "According to the information received, 400 conscientious objectors belonging to the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith are currently imprisoned in Greece, mainly in the disciplinary cells of military camps, the military prisons of Avlona and Sindos and the prison farms of Kassandra and Kassavetia. They have reportedly been sentenced to four-year prison sentences, which could be reduced to approximately three years through work. Some of them are said to have been subjected to physical and psychological ill-treatment by military personnel and members of the military police during their detention in prison or in camp. The alleged purpose of this ill-treatment was to force the prisoners to change their minds about being conscientious objectors.