E/CN.4/1988/45 page 12 of disintegrating the State. The main objective of the allegations claiming that religious intolerance exists in Turkey is to discredit the Turkish State and the nation in the eyes of public opinion. Another point which merits mention here is the fact that, on 16 June 1986, His Holiness the Pope Jean Paul II awarded H.E. Mr. Nevzat Ayat, the Governor of Istanbul, with the Insignia of Commander of the Order of Saint Gregory, for his open-mindedness, comprehension and benevolence vis-a-vis Christian communities." Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 19. On 12 October 1987, the Government of the Soviet Union transmitted a note from the Permanent Representative of the Soviet Union containing information on the implementation in the Soviet Union of the provisions of the Declaration. This note referred to the legal provisions guaranteeing freedom of conscience and belief in the Soviet Union and stated, inter alia: "At present, nearly 20,000 associations and groups representing some 40 different religious denominations, including Orthodox church members, Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Lutherans, Old Believers, Buddhists, Evangelical Baptists and Seventh Day Adventists, are registered and carry out their activities in the Soviet Union. Soviet citizens who have reached the age of 18 may form such associations in order collectively to perform religious rites, hold prayer meetings and ceremonies and satisfy their religious needs. On the decision of the registered religious associations, the Soviet administrative bodies make available to them free of charge places of worship and religious property belonging to the public domain. These associations are also entitled to rent or purchase any premises, means of transport and equipment they may need and to have premises built. At present, the Soviet Union has nearly 8,500 Russian Orthodox churches, hundreds of cathedrals and several thousand mosques in villages and urban areas, 1,120 Catholic churches, 720 Lutheran churches, nearly 5,000 Evangelical Baptist and Seventh Day Adventists churches, about 100 synagogues, 90 Reformed churches, 45 Georgian temples, 39 Armenian churches and over 3,000 small temples belonging to various sects. Some of the buildings made available free of charge by the State to religious associations are of enormous historical, material and cultural value, such as Dormition Cathedral in Vladimir, Trinity-St. Serge Monastery in Zagorsk, Peter and Paul Catholic Cathedral in Vilnius, Mir Arab Mosque in Bukhara and the Olevist Baptist Church in Tallinn. Believers in the Soviet Union have the right to make, purchase and use objects of religious worship. The country has 40 enterprises specializing in the manufacture of Church accessories and religious objects and they fully satisfy existing needs. Many religious associations, which are headed by their own councils, have an opportunity regularly to publish works which they need in order to meet their religious needs. State printing houses publish up to 50 religious titles. Reviews appearing regularly include those of the Patriarchate of Moscow, Musulmani Sovietskogo Vostoka (Muslims of the Soviet East) and Vestnik pravoslavia (Fraternal messenger) of the Evangelical Baptists. Almanacs are published. In the past 15 years, four editions of the Bible (250,000 copies), the New Testament, the Psalm Book and the Missal have been published; several