On November 11, Iranian representative Mostafa Alaie,...

On November 11, Iranian representative Mostafa Alaie, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly (human rights) under item 116a (death penalty), said that initiatives at the international level on human rights should be guided by the principles of international law, such as respect for national sovereignty and the right of people to freely choose their national systems without external coercion, as well as other sensitivities. "The views of the majority had to be taken into account on all issues of human rights in this forum," he said. "That also had to apply to activities in the field of standard-setting and implementation of mechanisms."