E/CN.4/2003/66 page 17 85. The traditional visits have been supplemented by a new form of visit, to the principal communities of religion and belief. The Special Rapporteur began in 1999 with a visit to the Vatican and will continue in order to establish direct dialogue on the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief and to find solutions to the problems of intolerance and discrimination that may arise in this area. 86. Since his appointment in 1993, the Special Rapporteur has undertaken 14 in situ visits, to the following countries: China (1994); Pakistan (1995); Islamic Republic of Iran (1995); Greece (1996); Sudan (1996); India (1996); Australia (1997); Germany (1997); United States of America (1998); Viet Nam (1998); Turkey (1999); Bangladesh (2000); and Argentina (2001). 87. The Special Rapporteur visited Algeria from 16 to 26 September 2002 at the invitation of the Algerian Government. The report on this mission, the first to Algeria by a Special Rapporteur, is contained in the addendum to the present report (E/CN.4/2003/66/Add.1). 88. During 2002, the Special Rapporteur requested invitations to visit Georgia and Romania, both of which have issued general invitations to all the Commission’s thematic mechanisms. In the case of Georgia, the Special Rapporteur has been given verbal notification that the Government is prepared to receive him. The dates when such a visit could take place will be determined in the very near future in cooperation with Georgia. The Special Rapporteur also received an invitation, on 9 August 2002, from the Iraqi Government to visit Iraq. 89. To date, only Indonesia and the Russian Federation have replied to the reminders the Special Rapporteur sent in July 2002 to those States that had not responded to requests for visits. By a letter of 7 August 2002, the Government of the Russian Federation assured the Special Rapporteur of its full support for his work and indicated that the question of an invitation to visit would be considered in early 2003. In a letter dated 13 August 2002, Indonesia informed the Special Rapporteur that such a visit was not considered timely this year in view of visits by other human rights mechanisms to the country. 90. The Special Rapporteur thanks Indonesia and the Russian Federation and invites those countries that have not replied, namely, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Israel and Nigeria, to improve their cooperation in order to enable him to discharge his mandate fully. II. PREVENTION ACTIVITIES 91. Since assuming his duties, the Special Rapporteur has attached the greatest importance to the prevention of intolerance and discrimination in the area of religion or belief. To that end, he has conducted research and formulated proposals in order to make it possible to deal not only with manifestations of intolerance and discrimination, but also with their true causes. 92. In order to gain an understanding of the specificities and similarities of these complex and sensitive issues and to obtain an overview of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief, the Special Rapporteur has undertaken several studies, four of which were submitted as part of the preparatory processes for the Durban Conference and the Madrid Conference.