Participants of World Water Forum call for lifting water items from WTO deals

Some participants of the fourth World Water Forum have appealed for the removal of water-related items from all deals of the World Trade Organizations, Bolivian official Omar Fernandez said on Monday.

The call was made at a meeting during the forum, with the participation of more than 160 policy-makers from 28 nations.

Water should not be a part of free trade deals because it should not be considered just another commodity, said Fernandez, head of Bolivia's Environment and Sustainable Development Committee.

The participants said they would ask their leaders to halt all negotiations on drinking water and basic sanitation.

Representatives of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay and Venezuela said they would form a common front to strive for the aim.

The fourth World Water Forum opened in Mexico City on Thursday morning.Major items for discussion include strategies for dealing with global drinking water shortages, and the uneven distribution of water resources in the world.

Source: Xinhua