World Bank President Paul D. Wolfowitz broke ethics rules in engineering a hefty pay raise for his girlfriend, a panel report released on Monday said.

The panel recommended that World Bank's 24-member board decide "whether Wolfowitz will be able to provide the leadership needed to ensure that the bank continues to operate to the fullest extent possible in achieving its mandate."

The panel report also concluded that Wolfowitz "engaged in a defacto conflict of interest."

Wolfowitz has been under fire for his involvement in a pay raise and promotion for his girlfriend Shaha Riza, a bank employee. The bank president has admitted granting Shaha Riza the pay raise and promotion on advice from an ethics board at the bank.

(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2007)