European ministers gave the green light for United States nominee Paul Wolfowitz to take over as the head of the World Bank after hearing soothing assurances on fighting poverty from the architect of the Iraq war.
The US deputy secretary of defence came to Brussels on the eve of a World Bank board meeting that will pick a successor to James Wolfensohn, the veteran outgoing head of an institution that lends to the world's poorest nations.
Mr Wolfowitz stressed his commitment to the mission of fighting poverty in a statement after the talks, promising to consult Europe and ensure it had a proper say in the bank's management.
The European Commission said it was happy with the commitments that Mr Wolfowitz had given to EU finance and development officials, and Germany said it expected EU governors to back him.
Commissioner Olli Rehn "was satisfied with everything he heard from Mr Wolfowitz concerning free trade, poverty reduction and development policy", a spokeswoman said.
Mr Wolfowitz, more widely associated with the unilateral use of American military power than with development policy, said he knew that his neo-conservative image worried some in Europe.
"I understand that I'm, to put it mildly, a controversial figure," he said. "But as people get to know me better, they will understand that I really do believe deeply in the mission of the bank."
Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, the German development minister, who had voiced open scepticism when George Bush, the US president, first nominated the outspoken hawk, said: "I expect that he will get the European and German support."
Jean-Claude Juncker, the prime minister of Luxembourg , who chaired the meeting as EU president, arranged the talks in response to private unease among European governments.
By: N. Peter Kramer
