A/HRC/10/14 page 17 consultations and country visits, has come to the conclusion that legal codification of the comprehensive system of oversight and regulation for the private military and security industry should be based upon the following principles: (a) Respect by private military and security companies, as corporate bodies, and their employees, as natural persons, of universal human rights norms and international humanitarian law; (b) Respect by private military and security companies and their employees of the national law of the countries of origin, transit and operation; (c) Respect by all parties of the sovereignty of States, of internationally recognized borders and of the right of peoples to self-determination; (d) Non-participation by private military and security companies and their employees in any activities aimed at overthrowing legitimate governments or authorities, the violent change of internationally recognized borders or foreign taking control by force of natural resources; (e) Guaranteeing only authorized methods of acquiring, exporting, importing, possessing and using weapons by private military and security companies and their employees; (f) Guaranteeing that only adequate, mandated and proportional use of force is allowed; (g) Restraint in the use of weapons generally and a total prohibition on the use of weapons of mass destruction, or weapons resulting in overkill, mass casualties or excessive destruction; (h) Accountability of private military and security companies to the Government of their country of origin and registration, and their country of operation; (i) Adequate public transparency of private military and security companies; (j) A mechanism of detailed registration of private military and security companies; (k) A mechanism of licensing of private military and security companies’ contracts for operation abroad; (l) A mechanism of monitoring inquiries, investigations, complaints and allegations regarding the activities of private military and security companies; (m) A mechanism of sanctions which may be applied nationally and/or internationally to private military and security companies in the case of violations; (n) A mechanism of self-regulation of private military and security companies through providing for enforcement of industry codes of conduct and allowing the monitoring of activities of private military and security companies by national associations of such companies. Although not sufficient if considered alone, such a mechanism of self-regulation still can and should be part of a broader, binding and compulsory system of regulation.