Dutch minister regrets that Wolfowitz is the only candidate for World Bank


AFP
 Date: 03-24-05

THE HAGUE (AFP) - Dutch Minister for Development Cooperation Agnes van Ardenne regrets that Paul Wolfowitz is the only candidate presented by the United States to lead the World Bank (news - web sites).

"It would have been nicer to have several candidates, that way we would have been given a choice," the minister's spokeswoman Marie-Christine Lanser told AFP Thursday.

Lanser stressed that Van Ardenne recognized the qualities of Wolfowitz and hoped that he would put his "power" in the service of the World Bank.

A number of European Union (news - web sites) development ministers will meet with Wolfowitz in the coming week to discuss what they expect from the World Bank, Lanser said.

The exact time and place of the meeting have not yet been set.

"The ministers mainly want to stress that the World Bank is an a-political organisation and has to cooperate with other organisations like the United Nations (news - web sites)," the spokeswoman added.

The ministers will also try to impress upon Wolfowitz that the European Union is an important partner, she said.

US President George W. Bush (news - web sites)'s surprise nomination of his close ally the neo-conservative Wolfowitz for the World Bank top job prompted a less than overwhelming welcome from some EU capitals, while aid groups voiced open dismay.

Source

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