WASHINGTON - The White House said Tuesday that "all options are on the table" about the leadership of the World Bank, even as it publicly defended embattled President Paul Wolfowitz as he fights conflict-of-interest charges.
Wolfowitz maintains that he acted in good faith in arranging a generous pay package for his girlfriend and is waging a vigorous fight to keep running the institution. He will appear before the bank's 24-member board late Tuesday. The board, whose proceedings are carried out behind closed doors, ultimately will decide what actions to take against him.
"We have faith in Paul Wolfowitz," White House spokesman Tony Snow said. He insisted that the charges against Wolfowitz are not "a firing offense."
Only after the charges against Wolfowitz are resolved, he said, would it then be appropriate to consider the bank's leadership going forward.
"Separately, at some point in the future there are going to be conversations about the proper stewardship of the World Bank," Snow said. "In that sense ... all options are on the table," Snow said.
It was unclear whether this rhetorical shift signaled a weakening of support at the White House for Wolfowitz, or more of an attempt to calm European allies who are clamoring for him to step aside. Promising future conversations, and separating them from the process of determining Wolfowitz fate based upon the pay package issue, could give those speaking against Wolfowitz the sense that their concerns will be addressed at some point.
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