President of the European Commission (EC) Jose Manuel Durao Barroso said Wednesday that the EC would give the green light for US nominee Paul Wolfowitz to take over as head of the World Bank.

At an informal meeting in Lisbon, Barroso said that it is understandable that Europe has to give its word on such an important decision.

He said the European Union (EU) and its member states are providing an increasingly bigger share of world assistance and they will continue to "actively collaborate with the new director of the World Bank."

Barroso also hoped that the result of the French referendum on the European Constitution in May would be "positive." He said it was hard to think of an European integration without France's favor.
 
Barroso has shelved a plan to take part in a debate on French TV on the constitution, saying his presence "could be the subject of a criticism as it would be considered an interference."

(Xinhua News Agency March 31, 2005)