A/RES/54/97 Page 3 2. Invites States, in particular donor States, relevant multilateral financial institutions and other concerned parties of the international community, including non-governmental organizations, to continue to provide support to the ongoing efforts made by Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster and to pay special attention to the United Nations Appeal for International Cooperation on Chernobyl, launched in April 1999; 3. Emphasizes the importance of full cooperation and assistance by the authorities of the affected countries in facilitating the work of humanitarian organizations, including non-governmental organizations, to mitigate the humanitarian consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe, notes the measures already taken by the Governments of the affected countries in this regard, and encourages them to take further measures to simplify their relevant internal procedures and to identify ways in which to make their systems of granting exemption from customs and other duties more effective with regard to goods provided free of charge as humanitarian assistance by humanitarian organizations, including non-governmental organizations; 4. Welcomes the efforts made by the United Nations, in cooperation with the Governments of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, to promote the Inter-Agency Programme of International Assistance to Areas Affected by the Chernobyl Disaster; 5. Welcomes also the convening by the United Nations of a number of special international meetings on Chernobyl to generate further support to the populations of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine affected by the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, and urges the international community and the Governments of the affected countries to continue to contribute towards the implementation of the projects specified in the above-mentioned inter-agency programme; 6. Expresses its appreciation for the contributions made to the shelter implementation plan aimed at securing the environmental safety of the sarcophagus covering the remains of the destroyed Chernobyl reactor, and urges further contributions to the plan; 7. Welcomes the decision of the heads of State and Government of the seven major industrial States and the European Union, adopted at Cologne, Germany, in June 1999, to help to ensure the continued financing and progress in work under the shelter implementation plan and, in this regard, welcomes the convening of the pledging conference in Germany in May 2000; 8. Takes note with satisfaction of the activities of the International Chernobyl Centre 3 established in Ukraine, with the active participation of Belarus and the Russian Federation, as an important contribution towards enhancement of the capabilities of the international community to study, mitigate and minimize the consequences of such accidents, and invites all interested parties to take part in the activities of the Centre; 9. Urges the United Nations Coordinator of International Cooperation on Chernobyl to continue his efforts aimed at strengthening international cooperation to overcome the health, social, economic and ecological consequences of the Chernobyl disaster in the most affected areas of Belarus, the Russian Federation and 3 Formerly known as the International Scientific and Technological Centre for Nuclear and Radiological Accidents. /...