E/CN.4/2004/63 page 6 Table 2 Unanswered requests for permission to visit State Indonesia Mauritius Israel Russian Federation Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Nigeria Turkmenistan Date of initial request 1996 1996 1997 1998 1999 Reaction No reply No reply No reply No reply No reply 2000 2003 Acknowledged No reply 8. The Special Rapporteur was therefore unable to go to the occupied territories, despite the gravity of the situation and the corroborating and disquieting information received in the context of his mandate. 9. Pursuant to resolution 2001/7 of 18 April 2001, in which the Commission expressed deep concern at this failure to cooperate, the Special Rapporteur reiterated his request for permission to visit on 22 June 2001 and on 29 July 2002, but these requests were fruitless. 10. Aside from the so-called “traditional” in situ visits, the Special Rapporteur decided in 1999 to begin visits to the major communities of religion or belief. The purpose of such visits was to establish a dialogue on the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief and on all issues relating to freedom of religion or belief, and also to consider solutions to the problems of intolerance and discrimination in that area. Accordingly, the Special Rapporteur visited the Holy See in September 1999 (E/CN.4/2000/65). 11. In a letter dated 13 January 2003 and received by fax on 10 November 2003, the Government of China invited the Special Rapporteur to visit that country again. In addition, on 11 November 2003, at the fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly, the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran also invited the Special Rapporteur to pay another visit to his country. 2. Follow-up to in situ visits 12. Since 1996, the Special Rapporteur has established a follow-up procedure whereby States which have received an in situ visit are asked to provide comments and any information on measures the relevant authorities have taken or are considering taking to implement the recommendations formulated in the mission reports (see table 3).