Europeans may seek own interview with Wolfowitz [View All]

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Europeans may seek own interview with Wolfowitz

WASHINGTON, March 17 (Reuters) - European members of the World Bank's board may seek to separately interview Paul Wolfowitz for the job of World Bank president, bank sources said on Thursday, reflecting Europe's concern about whether he is the right man for the job.

The decision was made during a meeting by European representatives on the board, including Germany, France and Italy, to discuss the Bush administration's choice of Wolfowitz to replace James Wolfensohn as president of the World Bank.

The U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary is considered a controversial choice because of his role as a chief architect of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, which caused rifts with many of the nations with which he would work at the World Bank.

"The Europeans want to interview him by themselves and not inside the board," one source, close to the board told Reuters. Many of the European governments that opposed the Iraq war have yet to be convinced that Wolfowitz, 61, has the proper credentials for the World Bank presidency.

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http://www.reuters.com/financeNewsArticle.jhtml?type=bondsNews&storyID=7936706