Istanbul hosting fifth world water forum next week

The fifth World Water Forum, co-organized by Turkey and the World Water Council, will be held next week in Istanbul. Nearly 20,000 people from 110 countries are expected to attend the meeting. As part of the forum, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, and Prince Albert II of Monaco are set to attend a summit hosted by President Abdullah Gul. Representatives of attending countries will discuss worldwide causes of drought and the rational consumption of natural resources.