World Bank appoints Wolfowitz as new head

WASHINGTON, March 31 (UPI) -- The World Bank officially announced Thursday Paul Wolfowitz will be its new president as of June 1.

The bank did not, however, disclose how its 24 board members who represent the agency's 184 member countries voted. Board meetings remain closed sessions and minutes of the discussions are not made public.

The nomination of the deputy secretary of defense by President Bush earlier this month has proved controversial, largely due to Wolfowitz's leading role in the U.S. invasion of Iraq two years ago.

The 61-year-old Wolfowitz will be the bank's 10th president and will succeed James Wolfensohn, who had been its head for the past decade.