Washington, May 12:

The US urged World Bank directors to give embattled president Paul Wolfowitz a ‘fair hearing’ as the former US official prepared to defend himself against favoritism charges.

US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack spoke as Wolfowitz faced a Tuesday night deadline from the board to respond to accusations he broke bank rules in arranging a pay and promotion package for his companion, a bank employee.

“Our concern is that the processes at the World Bank are such that Paul Wolfowitz has an opportunity to fully exercise his rights within the parameters of the World Bank and its regulations, and that he has a fair hearing,” McCormack said.

Fear psychosis

WASHINGTON: The WB executive board has concluded that bank president broke ethics rules in arranging a pay rise for his girlfriend and will try to end his tenure, The Washington Post reported. It reported that board members do not want to vote to fire him since that might provoke a rupture with the US. But they are inclined to adopt a resolution saying they have lost confidence in him, ho-ping that will persuade him to resign. Wolfowitz has said he granted Shaha Riza a pay raise and promotion on advice from an ethics board. — AFP