E/CN.4/1997/91 page 11 (d) Belgium indicated that all legally recognized religions were protected by constitutional law and that the Government, after examining the criteria for recognition of religions, was to amend the law of 4 March 1870 on temporal power; (e) China, responding to the urgent appeal of 14 November 1995, considered illegal the proclamation by the Dalai Lama of a child as reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, attributed the resignation of Chadrel Rimpoché from the committee looking for the successor of the Panchen Lama to health reasons, and underlined the Chinese authorities' respect for the identification of the child reincarnation of the Panchen Lama; (f) Japan replied that the purpose of the review of the 1951 Religious Juridical Persons Law was to adapt it to present conditions and not to control the religious activities of juridical persons; (g) Maldives recalled that freedom of religion and conscience were guaranteed by the national legislation and that it constituted the foundation of society; (h) Pakistan stated that inquiries would be made into the circumstances of the death of Mr. Mukhtar Masih; (i) Slovenia felt that the question of properties confiscated from the Catholic Church and their restitution was not a human rights issue; (j) Ukraine explained that a public establishment had been rented by the Ukrainian Unionist Church of the Seventh Day Adventists for conferences of a historical, scientific and religious nature; that the programme had subsequently been altered for purposes of religious propaganda, causing political and religious tensions on the eve of celebrations on the fortieth day after the death of Patriarch Vladimir of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church; and that finally, in agreement with the authorities, the Unionist Church had cut short its programme. II. IMPORTANCE OF IN SITU VISITS AND FOLLOW-UP 44. In situ visits and follow-up are an essential feature of the mandate on religious intolerance. Visits are of paramount importance, in the Special Rapporteur's view, both for gathering opinions and comments on all alleged incidents and government action incompatible with the Declaration, and for analysing and passing on the experience and positive initiatives of States pursuant to General Assembly resolution 50/183 and Commission on Human Rights resolution 1996/23. 45. Since 1994, the Special Rapporteur has visited China, in November 1994, on the initiative of the People's Republic of China (see E/CN.4/1995/91). He paid a visit to Pakistan in June 1995 (see E/CN.4/1996/95/Add.1) at the invitation of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He also went to Iran in December 1995 (see E/CN.4/1996/95/Add.2). 46. The Special Rapporteur visited Greece in June 1996 (see A/51/542/Add.1) at the invitation of the Greek Government, and Sudan in September (see