'I'M NOT A UNILATERALIST'

I think this is an incredibly important job. And I think in terms of the president's goal and all of our goal of expanding the realm of freedom in the world, there's both a political dimension and an economic dimension and they're not tightly linked, but they support one another.

Your opponents say you are going to use the bank to pursue the Bush administration's philosophy of pushing democracy all around the world.

No, but I think when the bank performs its mission, which is reducing poverty and promoting economic development, it makes it more possible for people around the world to achieve their own goals of freedom and democracy.

Do you see a different bank under you than under James Wolfensohn? And if so, how?

I think the differences will be less significant than the similarities. And if I get the job, I will be responsible to the 184 countries that are members of the bank, and I need to be clear about what their agendas are.

Who is your biggest opponent among the Europeans? The French?