Europeans step up pressure on Wolfowitz

[cal04]

European governments are preparing to take a hard line against Paul Wolfowitz remaining as head of the World Bank, pushing ahead with a possible vote of no confidence and brushing off US proposals to delay judging the embattled president over his ethical violations.

In an attempt to defuse the controversy surrounding Mr Wolfowitz - who broke bank rules by awarding pay rises and promotions to his girlfriend, a bank employee - the US yesterday struggled to broker a deal that would have separated consideration of Mr Wolfowitz's rule-breaking from whether he should remain as president.

But only Japan agreed to the proposal during a conference call organised by the US between officials from the Group of Seven leading industrial nations. Canada joined the European governments, including Britain and Germany, in opposing the US move, leaving Mr Wolfowitz's fate in the hands of the bank's powerful executive board.

Sources close to the board last night suggested the most likely outcome, within the next few days, was a statement of "no confidence" in Mr Wolfowitz's presidency and a call for his resignation, followed by a period to allow Mr Wolfowitz to voluntarily step down.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2080241,00.html

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. separated consideration of XXX's rule-breaking from whether he should remain as president

Yeah, I can see why Bush could get behind that ...