A/52/477 English Page 4 (d) Visit to Greece in June 1996 at the invitation of Greece (A/51/542/Add.1); (e) Visit to the Sudan in September 1996 at the invitation of the Government of the Sudan and pursuant to General Assembly resolution 50/197 of 22 December 1995 and Commission on Human Rights resolution 1996/73; (f) Visit to India in December 1996 at the invitation of India;7 (g) Visit to Australia in February-March 1997 at the invitation of Australia (report to be submitted to the Commission on Human Rights at its next session); (h) (ibid). Visit to Germany in September 1997 at the invitation of Germany 9. These visits enable the Special Rapporteur to gather information on allegations and on incidents, norms and actions that are or appear to be inconsistent with the provisions of the 1981 Declaration, and also to analyse and publicize the positive experiences and initiatives of States pursuant to the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights. 10. Requests for visits to Turkey and Viet Nam (in 1995) and to Indonesia and Mauritius (in 1996) have thus far proved fruitless. Despite reminder letters, Turkey continues to ignore the Special Rapporteur's request. Viet Nam, despite correspondence indicating that the Vietnamese authorities would consider the Special Rapporteur's request, has not responded with a final decision. The Special Rapporteur wishes to remind both States of the importance he attaches to his visiting them as soon as possible in a spirit of strengthening dialogue and developing cooperation. 11. A request for a visit was also sent to Israel in 1997, but no reply has so far been received. In terms of future visits, the Special Rapporteur is to travel to the United States of America at the invitation of that country at a date that should soon be set. 12. In parallel with these visits, the Special Rapporteur has sought to set a follow-up procedure in motion. To this end, letters were sent in 1996 to the Permanent Missions of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva (A/51/542, annex I), and in 1997 to the Permanent Missions of Greece, India and the Sudan (A/52/477/Add.1), to obtain their comments and any information on actions undertaken or planned by the authorities concerned to implement the Special Rapporteur's recommendations. 13. The Chinese authorities replied in 1996 (A/51/42, annex II) and the Pakistan authorities in 1997 (A/52/477/Add.1). The Sudan also replied very quickly, and it should be noted that cooperation has been excellent since the Special Rapporteur's visit to that country (ibid), a fact which should be emphasized and applauded. /...