A/RES/56/180 Noting the importance of continuing to strengthen the existing international support measures with a view to addressing further the problems of landlocked developing countries, Emphasizing the importance of further strengthening effective and close cooperation and collaboration between landlocked developing countries and their transit neighbours, at regional, subregional and bilateral levels, inter alia, through cooperative arrangements in developing efficient transit transport systems in landlocked and transit developing countries, and noting the important role of the activities of the regional commissions in that regard, Welcoming the holding in New York from 30 July to 3 August 2001 of the fifth Meeting of Governmental Experts from Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and Representatives of Donor Countries and Financial and Development Institutions, Expressing its appreciation to donor countries for participating in the fifth Meeting of Governmental Experts and for the generous contribution that facilitated the participation of experts from landlocked and transit developing countries, Taking note of the Vientiane Plan of Action 4 on measures designed to improve the transit transport systems of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, adopted at the first Specific Consultative Meeting on the Transit Transport Systems of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, held at Vientiane on 14 and 15 December 2000 under the auspices of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Noting the outcome of the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, held at Doha from 9 to 13 November 2001, 5 1. Takes note of the note by the Secretary-General transmitting the progress report of the secretariat of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development on specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries; 6 2. Welcomes the agreed conclusions and recommendations for future action adopted by the fifth Meeting of Governmental Experts from Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and Representatives of Donor Countries and Financial and Development Institutions; 7 3. Reaffirms the right of access of landlocked countries to and from the sea and freedom of transit through the territory of transit countries by all means of transport, as set forth in article 125 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; 8 4. Also reaffirms that transit countries, in the exercise of their full sovereignty over their territory, have the right to take all measures necessary to ensure that the rights and facilities provided for landlocked countries, including landlocked developing countries, in no way infringe upon their legitimate interests; _______________ 4 UNCTAD/LDC/Misc.53, annex I. See A/C.2/56/7, annex. 6 A/56/427. 7 Ibid., sect. II. 8 See The Law of the Sea: Official Texts of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 and of the Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 with Index and Excerpts from the Final Act of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.97.V.10). 5 2