Germany urges resignation of Wolfowitz 17:49' 24/04/2007 (GMT+7)
Germany openly called on Monday for resignation of World Bank leader Paul Wolfowitz over his handling of a promotion he approved for his girlfriend.
"The situation, as it is, is no longer acceptable," German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, said in an interview published by the Financial Times Deutschland on Monday.
"My conclusion is that Wolfowitz should do the bank a service and take the consequences himself. The sooner, the better," said Wieczorek-Zeul, who is also Germany's governor to the World Bank.
Meanwhile German government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said that Berlin had "full confidence that the World Bank would find a solution that corresponds to its high principles."
The pressure to oust Wolfowitz comes as the board of the World Bank prepares to reach a decision on whether he broke bank rules when he ordered the bank's human resources chief to give his girlfriend a hefty pay rise.
More than 40 senior former World Bank executives signed an open letter published by the Financial Times on Monday calling for his immediate resignation.