WASHINGTON,
May 29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. administration will name former Trade Representative
Robert Zoellick to lead the World Bank, a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity that
President George W. Bush will announce the decision on Wednesday.
Zoellicks's "experience and long career in
international trade, finance and diplomacy" will "make him uniquely prepared to
take on this challenge," said the official.
"He has the trust and respect of many officials
around the world and believes deeply in the World Bank's mission of tackling
poverty," he added.
The White House expects Zoellick's selection, which
has received positive reaction from other nations, will be accepted by the World
Bank executive board, agencies reports said.
Zoellick, now an executive at Wall Street giant
Goldman Sachs, has emerged as the frontrunner to be the next president of the
World Bank since Paul Wolfowitz announced his resignation two weeks ago.
As Bush's first trade representative, Zoellick, 53,
played a leading role in efforts to revive the Doha round of world trade talks.
He later served as deputy secretary of state and has widespread experience of
and high-level contacts with Europe, China, Latin America and Africa. He left
the government last year to join investment bank Goldman Sachs.
By tradition, the United States, as the bank's
largest shareholder, names the World Bank chief and Europe nominates the leader
of the International Monetary Fund.
The Bush administration has insisted to choose an
American to replace Wolfowitz despite pressure from Brazil and other developing
countries to open the candidacy to any nationality.
The nomination must be approved by the bank's
24-member executive board.
Wolfowitz, former U.S. deputy defense secretary,
agreed to resign following a special bank report concluded he has placed himself
in a conflict of interest situation over the his girlfriend assignment and pay
package.
Riza was rapidly promoted and ended up with a package
of tax-free salary to about 193,000 dollars, more even than Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice receives before tax.
Wolfowitz's resignation officially takes effect on
June 30.
He told the BBC in an interview broadcast yesterday
that he was forced to resign because of an "overheated" atmosphere at the bank
and press coverage of his role in winning a pay and promotion package for his
girlfriend.
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