A/RES/52/154 Page 2 Noting, in this respect, that a meeting of the "Friends of 1999" was held on 22 April 1997 at the Peace Palace, The Hague, to which representatives of twenty States from all regions of the world, the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the coalition of non-governmental organizations, The Hague Appeal for Peace, were invited for consultations on proposals for a draft programme of action for the centennial of the first International Peace Conference, Noting with satisfaction that the realization of all those proposals in the programme of action dedicated to the centennial of the first International Peace Conference, presented by the Netherlands and the Russian Federation,2 is consistent with the goals of the United Nations Decade of International Law, Noting also that the programme of action, inter alia, calls for the presentation of the results of the centennial discussions to the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session, at the closing of the United Nations Decade of International Law, Noting further that the programme of action does not entail budgetary implications for the United Nations, 1. Welcomes the programme of action dedicated to the centennial of the first International Peace Conference, presented by the Governments of the Netherlands and the Russian Federation,2 which aims at contributing to the further development of the themes of the first and the second International Peace Conference and could be regarded as a third international peace conference; 2. Encourages: (a) The Governments of the Netherlands and the Russian Federation to proceed with the implementation of the programme of action; (b) All States to participate in the activities set out in the programme of action, as well as to initiate such activities and to coordinate their efforts in this respect at the global level, as well as at the regional and national levels; (c) All States to take appropriate measures to ensure universal participation in the activities pursuant to the programme of action, with special consideration for the participation of representatives of the least developed countries; 3. Encourages the competent United Nations organs, subsidiary organs, programmes and specialized agencies, including the International Court of Justice, the International Law Commission and the Secretariat, within their respective mandates, competencies and budgets, as well as other international organizations: (a) To cooperate in the implementation of the programme of action and to coordinate their efforts in this respect; (b) To consider participation in the activities envisaged in the programme of action; 4. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure consistency of the activities of the Organization relating to the closing of the United Nations Decade of International Law with the programme of action and to direct his efforts accordingly; 2 See A/C.6/52/3. /...