[Greens-Media] Australia should object to Wolfowitz nomination

[Edwards, Jon (Sen K. Nettle)]

17.03.05

Australia should object to Wolfowitz nomination	

Greens Senator Kerry Nettle today called on the Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer to reveal whether Australia has been consulted on the
nomination of US Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz as head of the
World Bank.

"Australia should be asking the US to put forward an alternative on the
basis that Dr Wolfowitz's well publicised views on US global domination
are incompatable with the mission of the World Bank'" Senator Nettle
said.

Dr Wolfowitz as a founding member of US think tank 'Project for a New
American Century' has consistently called for US world economic and
military dominance to be the focus of US foreign policy.

In 1992 Dr Wolfowitz wrote in advise to the Penatgon that;

"In non-defense areas, we must account sufficiently for the interests of
the advanced industrial nations to discourage them from challenging our
leadership or seeking to overturn the established political and economic
order. We must maintain the mechanism for deterring potential
competitors from even aspiring to a larger regional or global role."

"The World Bank should not be a vehicle for promoting US interests. Mr
Wolfowitz's background suggests that this is the direction it could take
under his leadership.

"The Greens are calling on Mr Downer to object to Mr Wolfowitz's
nomination."

Contact - Jon Edwards 0428 23 146