E/CN.4/1988/45 page 20 religion with one of the darkest periods in the country's history appear, in practice, to have led to some distinctions in the relative importance of these two denominations. One example of the negative image that proponents of the Islamic faith appear to have is the campaign to change Muslim-sounding names, which has been denounced by many sources as having been waged, primarily between December 1984 and March 1985, in an arbitrary, massive and coercive manner and as having led, according to these same sources, to many acts of violence, such as the persecution and arrest of persons refusing to comply, and to administrative problems of all kinds. In the Bulgarian authorities' view, however, this is a long-term historical process resulting from the legitimate desire of Bulgarians who were "Turkicized" by force by the Ottomans to assume their true identity. During his stay, the Special Rapporteur found that none of the Muslims he had occasion to meet (including muftis and imams) had kept his Muslim name. The voluntary and spontaneous nature of these name changes was stressed by the Bulgarian authorities, who maintained that various documents referred to by the Special Rapporteur and drawing attention to the coercive nature of measures requiring name changes and the penalties against those who refused to do so (such as the loss of their jobs) were only forgeries designed to discredit Bulgaria. 33. As to the right of parents to organize family life in accordance with their religion and the right of children to have access to education in the matter of religion in accordance with the wishes of their parents, without discrimination of any kind (art. 5 of the Declaration), the Special Rapporteur has already referred, in connection with measures relating to the provisions of articles 1 and 6, to the controversy concerning the right to perform the rite of circumcising Muslim male infants. The Special Rapporteur also found, during his visit to several mosques, that these appeared to be frequented mainly by elderly persons. This finding also applies to places of worship of other religious communities. The Bulgarian authorities have recognized this fact and attribute this lack of interest on the part of young people to a natural and spontaneous development which makes them prefer activities other than attendance at places of worship and the performance of religious rites. 34. The overall impression the Special Rapporteur had as a result of his visit is that the problem that now arises with regard to respect for the religious rights and freedoms of the Muslim community in Bulgaria is only one of the many aspects of a political, cultural, ethnic and social crisis in relations between Bulgaria and Turkey. 35. The bilateral agreements which have governed immigration between the two countries since the Second World War and the last of which expired in 1978 have, of course, not put an end to cases requiring a negotiated solution. Strained bilateral relations have therefore had very adverse effects on many individual destinies, both on the Bulgarian and on the Turkish side, as the Special Rapporteur was able to observe when his personal attention was drawn to several cases in which families were separated and have so far been unable to be reunited in Bulgaria or in Turkey. Bilateral negotiations therefore seem to be the best way of guaranteeing respect for the religious rights and freedoms of the Muslim minority in Bulgaria. 36. The Bulgarian authorities have, moreover, always expressed a desire to maintain good relations with all their neighbours, including Turkey, and state that they are prepared to negotiate on some of the bilateral aspects of such relations. The Turkish authorities also appear to be prepared to hold negotiations in this regard.