Reply #4: Europeans at World Bank cool to Wolfowitz pick

[Career Prole]

WASHINGTON, March 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. nomination of Paul Wolfowitz as World Bank chief drew a cool response from European officials on the bank's board but they had little chance of blocking it, board sources said on Wednesday.

Sources close to the World Bank board said Wolfowitz's name was informally circulated several weeks ago among the 23-member board, which represents the bank's 184 member countries, and the reaction was made clear to U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow.

"Mr. Snow knows that the reaction from the board was unfavorable," one source said. "Mr. Wolfowitz's nomination today tells us the U.S. couldn't care less what the rest of the world thinks."

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"The enthusiasm in old Europe is not exactly overwhelming," German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul said.

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French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said his country would have to examine the proposal more closely.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N16731463.htm