That was a long-standing and well-established position, as it was important to ensure that individuals within groups were not left vulnerable by allowing the rights of the group to supersede the rights of the individual.

It is the established position of the Committee that article 5, paragraph 2 (b) is the clause in the Optional Protocol that prescribes the requirement of exhaustion of domestic remedies as a condition for admissibility.

3. In its decision on the E. v. Germany case, the Human Rights Committee concludes (and I agree) that domestic remedies have not been exhausted and points out that article 26 of the Covenant enshrines the stand-alone rights to equality and non-discrimination, in conformity with its admirable and well-established position that the scope of article 26 is not limited to the rights covered by the Covenant.

The Council reviewed relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in connection with bilateral communications between that State and GCC member States and in accordance with the established positions of its member States regarding the promotion of good relations with it based on the principles of good-neighbourliness, mutual respect, respect for common interests, non-interference in the internal affairs of other States, non-use or threat of force and the settlement of disputes on the basis of dialogue and peaceful means as generally accepted among States.