Path clear for Zoellick to become World Bank chief

By Lesley Wroughton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Robert Zoellick, U.S. President George W. Bush's candidate to head the World Bank, was poised to clinch the job as expected as a deadline for nominations passed on Friday without a challenger emerging.

"No additional nominations have been reported," a bank official said.

The lack of other nominees continues the traditional, long-standing practice in which the United States picks the head of the bank as part of a political trade-off with Europe, which chooses the leader of the International Monetary Fund.

After the forced resignation of World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz last month over a high-paying promotion for his companion, most of the bank's 185 member countries indicated they wanted a more open process for selecting the bank chief.

However, World Bank board officials told Reuters Zoellick's credentials as former U.S. trade representative and deputy secretary of state were solid enough to garner support from developed and developing countries.

"The reality is that no one wants to do it against the United States at this stage," said one board official.

"Zoellick's resume is quite impressive and everybody sees that and it's been a smart move by the U.S. administration to come up with somebody like him," the official added.

The appointment is now only a matter of formality. A bank official said the board was expected to meet with Zoellick next week, with an eye toward finalizing the process by June 29 and having the new president in place on July 1.