A/RES/54/55 Page 7 Commending the useful activities carried out by the Regional Centre in encouraging regional and subregional dialogue for the enhancement of openness, transparency and confidence-building, as well as the promotion of disarmament and security through the organization of regional meetings, which has come to be widely known within the Asia-Pacific region as the “Kathmandu process”, Expressing its appreciation to the Regional Centre for its organization of substantive regional meetings at Nagasaki in 1998 and at Kathmandu, Kyoto and Ulaanbaatar in 1999, Welcoming the idea of the possible creation of an educational and training programme for peace and disarmament in Asia and the Pacific for young people with different backgrounds, to be financed from voluntary contributions, Noting the important role of the Regional Centre in assisting region-specific initiatives of Member States, including its assistance in the work related to the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia, Appreciating highly the important role that Nepal has played as the host nation of the headquarters of the Regional Centre, 1. Reaffirms its strong support for the continuing operation and further strengthening of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific; 2. Underscores the importance of the Kathmandu process as a powerful vehicle for the development of the practice of region-wide security and disarmament dialogue; 3. Expresses its appreciation for the continuing political support and financial contributions to the Regional Centre, which are essential for its continued operation; 4. Appeals to Member States, in particular those within the Asia-Pacific region, as well as to international governmental and non-governmental organizations and foundations, to make voluntary contributions, the only resources of the Regional Centre, to strengthen the programme of activities of the Regional Centre and the implementation thereof; 5. Requests the Secretary-General, taking note of paragraph 6 of General Assembly resolution 49/76 D of 15 December 1994, to provide the Regional Centre with all necessary support, within existing resources, in carrying out its programme of activities; 6. Invites the Secretary-General to initiate consultations with the Government of the Kingdom of Nepal as well as with other Member States concerned and interested organizations to assess the possibility of enabling the Centre to operate effectively from Kathmandu; 7. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session on the implementation of the present resolution; /...