May 09, 2007

If it was an entrapment that is almost irrelevant.

Sir, there are now some arguing that Mr Wolfowitz fell into an entrapment created by the World Bank's Ethics Committee and let me make it clear that whether this is true or not, it has nothing little to do with the real issue. Mr Wolfowitz, as the President of the World Bank should be able to know that just because an ethic committee says something might be ethical, that does not necessarily make it so. He should know that having the poverty fighting World Bank seconding someone at a foreseeable cost of US$ 2.700.000 (180.000 plus 50 % benefits times ten years) just to manage his conflict of interest is plainly wrong no matter who might say it is right.

The overwhelmingly good staff, management, board members and presidents, present or past of the World Bank, as well as a world that needs a respected multilateral institution where global challenges can be discussed, they all deserve that this issue should exclusively be about right or wrong and not just a banal pro or against Wolfowitz political row.