Paul Wolfowitz, the US's nominee to head the World Bank, has been invited to Brussels to meet the European Commission and calm nerves about his candidacy.
Louis Michel, European commissioner for development, on Friday invited Mr Wolfowitz to share his vision of the bank's future before its shareholders vote on his appointment.
Mr Michel made his decision after consultation with José Manuel Barroso, European Commission president.
“I am looking forward to meeting Mr Wolfowitz in Brussels to listen to his ideas on development, the main challenges ahead and his vision for the World Bank as a major actor,” Mr Michel said.
The Commission's attempt to insert itself into the debate on the World Bank presidency, traditionally the concern of member states, follows a muted response from European governments to the Bush administration's nomination of the hawkish Mr Wolfowitz seen as the intellectual architect of the Iraq war.
While complaining in private that the US is seeking to impose a controversial figure, there has been little public reaction.
“Secretary Wolfowitz is willing to talk to the wide array of stakeholders including NGOs and other institutions,” Tony Fratto, a US Treasury spokesman, said in response to the Commission's invitation. “He has a full schedule of meetings next week with shareholder representatives, member government representatives, and people at the World Bank.”
It is the US view, however, that the first priority must be to focus on World Bank shareholders.
Mr Wolfowitz started meeting bank directors on Friday. The board meeting to consider his approval and any other candidates is expected on March 31. In the past, bank presidents have been proved unanimously.
After fence-mending trips to Europe by US president George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice, secretary of state, there is little prospect of a European front to block Mr Wolfowitz's appointment.
EU countries hold 30 per cent of the equity of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund compared with 17 per cent held by the US. European governments and institutions were upset by what they saw as a lack of consultation. They are also uneasy about what Mr Wolfowitz's agenda at the bank may be.
Development ministers from the Group of Eight industrialised countries informally discussed Mr Wolfowitz at a meeting in Derby on Friday. The topic is also scheduled to be discussed by finance ministers at an EU summit next week.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited . All rights reserved. Please don't copy articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.