The fate of scandal-hit World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz hung in the air on Friday after a crisis meeting of bank directors, as pressure on the former Pentagon No. 2 mounted in Europe.
In a terse and vaguely worded statement, Wolfowitz said he "looks forward to implementing the recommendations of the board," which is broadening its probe beyond the favoritism scandal enmeshing the embattled chief.
The 24 executive directors, who are drawn from governments, met past midnight to discuss revelations that Wolfowitz ordered a hefty salary worth nearly US$200,000 for his bank employee girlfriend, Shaha Riza, in 2005 when she was reassigned to the US government.
That has opened Wolfowitz to accusations of hypocrisy as he steers a controversial campaign against corruption in the bank's US$24 billion annual lending.
Echoing a statement from World Bank ministers last Sunday, the directors expressed "great concern" over the affair, which has caused a rebellion among the global development lender's 10,000 staff.
"The executive directors agreed on a process to deal with the situation urgently, effectively and in an orderly manner," they said in a statement.
But they deferred any immediate action, calling for further investigation into "conflicts of interest and possible violations of staff rules" concerning Riza's pay package.
The bank's board appointed a subcommittee to analyze "ethical, reputational and other relevant standards" surrounding not just Riza but other appointments ordered by Wolfowitz at the bank.
The Times newspaper in London reported on Friday that the Bush administration "was drawing up a list of candidates to succeed" Wolfowitz. The list was said to be headed by former Afghan finance minister Ashraf Ghani.
Some staff at the bank's Washington headquarters are now wearing blue ribbons to symbolize their desire for Wolfowitz to go.
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