- 10 C. Consultations undertaken by the delegation 4. Apart from meetings at local level with officials at the establishments visited, the delegation consulted national authorities, state forensic service doctors and various other persons active in areas of interest to the CPT. As regards more particularly non-governmental organisations, the delegation met representatives of the Association of Social Psychiatry, the Greek Committee for Conscientious Objectors, the Greek League of Human Rights, the Medical Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims, and the Movement for the Defense of Political and Social Rights. D. Co-operation received during the visit 5. The meetings with national authorities, at both the start and the end of the visit, took place in a spirit of close cooperation. Fruitful discussions were held with the Minister of Justice, Mrs Psarouda-Benaki, the Deputy Minister for Public Order, Mr Sapsalis, the Deputy Minister for Defence, Mr Stathopoulos, and senior officials of the Ministries of Defence, Health, Justice and Public Order. The CPT is particularly grateful to the Minister of Justice for the substantial amount of time she devoted to discussions with its delegation. The delegation also had a useful exchange of views with Mrs Tsouderou, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs. 6. The delegation received considerable assistance from the liaison officers appointed by the different Ministries concerned by the CPT's visit. The effective action taken by Mr Iouliaras (the liaison officer appointed by the Ministry of Public Order) to overcome a difficulty encountered by the delegation in the course of a visit to the Police Headquarters in Thessaloniki (cf. paragraph 22) should be highlighted. 7. The delegation had no significant difficulties in gaining access to the establishments visited, and in this respect the credentials provided to each member of the delegation by the Greek authorities proved most useful. There was a brief delay in gaining access to the Pavlos Melas Military Prison as well as to the Custodial Unit of the Nikea Hospital in Athens; however, this was clearly due to the perimeter staff not having heard of the delegation and wishing to check with their superiors before allowing it to enter. 8. In practically all the establishments visited, the delegation was received in a very satisfactory way by those in charge and by staff. However, it should be noted that there were clear indications that police officers at the Athens Police Headquarters attempted to conceal from the delegation at least two persons in custody. Further, the delegation gained the distinct impression that some of the persons working at the Leros psychiatric establishments had been discouraged by the authorities in charge from having any contact with the delegation. Needless to say, such action would be contrary to the principle of cooperation set out in Article 3 of the Convention.