Beleaguered World Bank head Paul Wolfowitz saw his troubles
worsen as Germany clamored for his resignation over a promotion he
apparently facilitated for his girlfriend.
"The situation is no longer acceptable," German Development
Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul declared in an interview with
Financial Times Deutschland published yesterday.
"My conclusion is that Wolfowitz should face the consequences
and thus do the bank a service. The sooner, the better," said
Wieczorek-Zeul, who is also Germany's governor to the World
Bank.
Meanwhile, German government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said that
Germany "had full confidence that the World Bank would find a
solution that would meet its high principles," neatly side-stepping
the issue.
Pressure has been mounting on Wolfowitz as the World Bank board
prepared to rule on whether he broke bank rules in ordering a major
pay rise for his partner.
The Financial Times yesterday carried an open later from
over 40 senior former World Bank executives, united in calling for
Wolfowitz to step down at once.
(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2007)
