E/CN.4/1992/52 page 175 greater accord with international standards concerning the freedom of religion or belief. He was satisfied to note the positive impact of such trends on the Law on the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Institutions of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, particularly with regard to the legal personality and registration of religious entities, which has resulted in the legalization of those generally depicted as sects. 173. The Special Rapporteur was particularly pleased to note the significant changes with regard to the rehabilitation of religion and the freedom of religious practice which have occurred in Albania during the period under review. He also welcomes the restoration of the legal status of a number of Christian denominations in other Eastern European countries and expresses the hope that conflicts concerning the retrocession of their property will be solved in a satisfactory manner. The Special Rapporteur is also pleased to note that problems with an ethnic dimension which also had a bearing on religious discrimination in Bulgaria appear to have been solved. A number of countries in Eastern Europe have reintroduced Christmas as a public holiday or are in the process of doing so and are also examining the question of the retrocession of church property. The new climate of religious freedom is also reflected in the significant increase in the number of baptisms of both children and adults in these countries. 174. The Special Rapporteur has also noted that large international gatherings of Christian youth have been organized in Poland, where religious instruction in schools has been reintroduced. This is also the case in the Czech and Slovak Republic where members of religious orders may also operate orphanages and provide assistance to hospitals. In addition, a number of Eastern European countries have established official relations with the Holy See, which has invited a number of Christian denominations from these countries to participate in gatherings it has organized. The Special Rapporteur expresses the hope that the newly created climate of religious freedom in Eastern Europe will further enhance the dialogue between different denominations, as well as a dialogue between and greater understanding of different faiths. 175. During the period under review, acts of religious discrimination have continued to occur both in countries which have an official religion and those which do not, in countries with a single dominant religion, as well as in countries where many religions co-exist. They are caused by a diversity of factors often deriving from complex historical processes which interfere with the freedom of worship and may be political, economic, social or cultural in nature. The complexity of these factors is often compounded by dogmatic and sectarian intransigence and may result in the curtailing of a wide variety of human rights. Although the Constitution and basic laws of most countries protect freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief, legislative obstacles to tolerance are often the result of contradictions between constitutional provisions and other laws or administrative decrees, which may entail measures and actions that are inconsistent with the provisions of the 1981 Declaration. 176. The Special Rapporteur has noted with concern the developments in matters relating to the freedom of religion or belief which occurred during the period under review as a result of the Gulf crisis. His attention was drawn to a number of specific incidents which occurred in relation to the members of the