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Germany's Merkel calls for G-8 package of measures to tackle high food prices

BERLIN (AP) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on the Group of Eight summit to agree on a "comprehensive package of measures" to tackle the fallout from soaring food prices, according to commentary published Sunday.

The leaders of the world's leading industrial nations open their annual summit in Japan on Monday at a time when a jump in food prices is hurting the world's poor in particular.

"The aggravation of the global food situation is increasing hunger in the world and threatens the political stability of many developing countries," Merkel wrote in an article for the Tagesspiegel daily.

"At the summit, a comprehensive package of measures to secure global food supplies should be adopted," she added in her editorial.

Merkel wrote that Germany, before the summit, put forward "a concept for action that foresees a short-term alleviation of the acute food situation, but also a long-term strategy to increase worldwide agricultural production."

She did not elaborate on what the package would entail.

In an interview with The Associated Press last week, Merkel emphasized the need to help developing nations help themselves through modern agricultural reforms.

She said development cooperation "needs to be more concentrated on water management and agriculture." (fonte: Yahoo.com)