E/CN.4/1996/95 page 5 Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kirghizistan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Saint Lucia, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yugoslavia and Zambia. 20. The Special Rapporteur invites all other States to reply in order to give proper scope to the results of this international survey. On account of the insufficient resources assigned to the Special Rapporteur’s mandate, it will only be possible to undertake the sorting and analysis of the replies necessary to prepare a draft international strategy in 1996. V. STATUS OF COMMUNICATIONS (1988-1995) SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MANDATE 21. The Special Rapporteur has prepared a table indicating the status of communications since the establishment of the mandate, taking into account the following reports: E/CN.4/1988/45 and Add.1; E/CN.4/1989/44; E/CN.4/1990/46; E/CN.4/1991/56; E/CN.4/1992/52; E/CN.4/1993/62 and Corr.1 and Add.1; E/CN.4/1994/79; E/CN.4/1995/91 and Add.1. The detailed status report, comprising tables, graphs and analyses is contained in the report to the General Assembly (A/50/440). 22. Very succinctly, it should be recalled that, as far as the trend in the number of communications from the establishment of the mandate up to February 1995 is concerned, 267 communications were sent to 74 States. 1/ There has been a two-fold rise, both in incidents that have occurred or situations at variance with the Declaration, and in the number of States that have received special attention from the Special Rapporteur. 23. The Special Rapporteur intends to continue to give new momentum to the mandate on religious intolerance. He has chosen to maintain the practice of sending States a communication - and, if necessary, more than one - both within the same year, and from one year to the next. 24. Since the mandate was established, the number of reminders has been low, doubtless because the Special Rapporteur only sends reminders if he receives no reply and not in response to imprecise and incomplete replies. Nevertheless, the Special Rapporteur tends to incorporate reminders about certain information contained in the previous allegations into new communications. 25. The urgent appeal procedure was established by the Special Rapporteur in 1994 in order to respond more effectively and more rapidly to particularly serious situations or cases. It is essential for the States concerned to reply as expeditiously as possible, i.e. within two weeks at the most from the date on which the urgent appeal is transmitted. It is important to note that urgent appeals are sent by fax and that it would therefore be highly desirable, in terms of the effectiveness of this procedure, for States to fax their replies; they could always send the original later by mail.