At a time when the debate on whether the position of the World Bank president should be an exclusive American preserve, reports of outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair contending for the honourable post is making waves.
Although the US State department said the post has traditionally been with the US and the Bush administration is already into the process of choosing a successor to Paul Wolfowitz, who steps down next month, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joe Stiglitz was quoted as saying that Blair was "in the frame" for the job.
Stiglitz is the former senior vice president and chief economist of World Bank.
“Blair is one of the people that is clearly being discussed,” he added. Stiglitz highlighted that being a strong political leader, Blair also has the kinds of connections that one needs and would be useful as head of the institution.
Meanwhile, the US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said, "It has been the tradition, that the US president has appointed a person to that job. And that person traditionally has been an American."
"Secretary of Treasury Paulson is in the process of collecting some names that he will forward to the president for his consideration. The president will then nominate the next president of the World Bank," McCormack said.
When asked whether the State department was playing a part in the process, he said, "I can't tell you whether or not the State Department has played any formal role in that process. Secretary Rice, I'm sure, will offer her views if she's asked either by the president or Secretary Paulson and she may also have some thoughts that she'll offer on her own".
"... the President is committed and Secretary Paulson is committed to forwarding names of people who are well qualified and who would merit selection and nomination as the next president of the World Bank," he said.
McCormack parried a query whether the events of the last few weeks surrounding Wolfowitz had damaged the reputation of the World Bank.
"I can't tell you whether or not it's damaged the reputation of the World Bank on the international scene. It's been a very trying period for the bank. President Bush talked about it and he's sorry that it came to this because Paul Wolfowitz is a good man who is committed to fighting poverty around the world.
He is committed to lifting up those most in need around the world. But it's been a very difficult couple of months, while this whole episode was played out," McCormack said praising the outgoing WB president.
"The World Bank is an important institution. And there are a lot of very capable, skilled professionals who work there. Obviously we can all benefit from their expertise. I think they can also benefit from perspectives of others on the outside, who might have different ideas about how to go about the work of poverty alleviation and development," he said.
"The World Bank, I expect, will continue to be an important institution in the international system, concerned with issues of poverty alleviation and development" McCormack maintained.
Other name that has been doing the round as possible successors to Wolfowitz, include former US Trade Representative Robert Zolleck.
Although the US State department said the post has traditionally been with the US and the Bush administration is already into the process of choosing a successor to Paul Wolfowitz, who steps down next month, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joe Stiglitz was quoted as saying that Blair was "in the frame" for the job.
Stiglitz is the former senior vice president and chief economist of World Bank.
“Blair is one of the people that is clearly being discussed,” he added. Stiglitz highlighted that being a strong political leader, Blair also has the kinds of connections that one needs and would be useful as head of the institution.
Meanwhile, the US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said, "It has been the tradition, that the US president has appointed a person to that job. And that person traditionally has been an American."
"Secretary of Treasury Paulson is in the process of collecting some names that he will forward to the president for his consideration. The president will then nominate the next president of the World Bank," McCormack said.
When asked whether the State department was playing a part in the process, he said, "I can't tell you whether or not the State Department has played any formal role in that process. Secretary Rice, I'm sure, will offer her views if she's asked either by the president or Secretary Paulson and she may also have some thoughts that she'll offer on her own".
"... the President is committed and Secretary Paulson is committed to forwarding names of people who are well qualified and who would merit selection and nomination as the next president of the World Bank," he said.
McCormack parried a query whether the events of the last few weeks surrounding Wolfowitz had damaged the reputation of the World Bank.
"I can't tell you whether or not it's damaged the reputation of the World Bank on the international scene. It's been a very trying period for the bank. President Bush talked about it and he's sorry that it came to this because Paul Wolfowitz is a good man who is committed to fighting poverty around the world.
He is committed to lifting up those most in need around the world. But it's been a very difficult couple of months, while this whole episode was played out," McCormack said praising the outgoing WB president.
"The World Bank is an important institution. And there are a lot of very capable, skilled professionals who work there. Obviously we can all benefit from their expertise. I think they can also benefit from perspectives of others on the outside, who might have different ideas about how to go about the work of poverty alleviation and development," he said.
"The World Bank, I expect, will continue to be an important institution in the international system, concerned with issues of poverty alleviation and development" McCormack maintained.
Other name that has been doing the round as possible successors to Wolfowitz, include former US Trade Representative Robert Zolleck.