KYOTO -- Is access to water a basic human right? This is one of the fundamental questions government delegates to the World Water Forum are grappling with as they prepare for a ministerial conference this weekend.
But with war looming in Iraq, only about two-thirds of the registered 170 countries and 40 international organizations were on hand Wednesday morning for the start of a two-day meeting of high-level bureaucrats to prepare for the weekend sessions. The officials are discussing the draft text of a declaration that will be presented to ministers for final approval.
The current declaration draft touches on five areas regarding water. It urges: