With a vote on his nomination to head up the World Bank expected this week, Paul Wolfowitz has sought to calm the storm over his nomination by speaking out. In an exclusive interview with Lally Weymouth of Newsweek and The Post, he talked about his new job and about the Iraq war and its aftermath. Excerpts:
Q. This week, what are you going to tell the Europeans as to why you think that you would be a good head of the World Bank?
A. I want to tell the Europeans why I think I would be [a good president]. But also, I want to listen to them, hear their views and better understand their expectations for the Bank.
But what's the answer to the question, why you and the Bank?
I believe deeply in the mission of the Bank. I believe that reducing poverty and promoting economic development is one of the important things we need to do to leave our children and grandchildren with a better world. . . . I think I have a lot of the skills that can accomplish that successfully.
When did you actually decide you wanted this job?
Well, I was working hard at an important job that I'm in right now and which I find very fulfilling, and I got an inquiry as to whether I would be interested in being nominated for the World Bank. And I didn't have to think about it terribly long to think that this was a huge challenge that would be something that I thought I could really contribute. . . .
I think this is an incredibly important job. I think [current president] Jim Wolfensohn has demonstrated how important it can be. And I think in terms of [President Bush's] goal and all of our goal of expanding the realm of freedom in the world, there's both a political dimension and an economic dimension, and they're not tightly linked, but they support one another.
Your opponents have, of course, been saying you are going to use the Bank to pursue the Bush administration's philosophy of pushing democracy all around the world.
No, but I think when the Bank performs its mission, which is reducing poverty and promoting economic development, it makes it more possible for people around the world to achieve their own goals of freedom and democracy.
Do you see a different Bank under you than under Wolfensohn?
I think the differences will be less significant than the similarities. And of course, if I get the job, I will be responsible to the 184 countries that are members of the Bank, and I need to be clear about what their agendas are.
So who is your biggest opponent among the Europeans? The French?
Well, I would say that on the whole the reaction from the Europeans has been very constructive. They're looking to make sure that if I'm approved I have a good understanding of their concerns, one of which is the priority they attach to the Bank's work in Africa.
