U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is denying press reports that she is campaigning to be the next head of the World Bank.
Secretary Clinton has long said she only intends to serve four years at the State Department. So there is growing speculation about what she might do next.
The Reuters news agency Thursday quoted unnamed sources said to be close to the secretary as saying that she has been in discussions with the White House about leaving her job next year to become head of the World Bank if President Obama decides not to renominate Robert Zoellick.
Reuters quoted a third source as saying that President Obama supports the change. But White House Press Secretary Jay Carney dismissed that scenario as “totally wrong.”
Taking questions from reporters at Zambia's State House alongside President Rupiah Banda, Secretary Clinton said she is not campaigning for the World Bank job.
“I have had no discussions with anyone. I have evidenced no interest to anyone. I do not have any interest and am not pursuing that position. It's a very important institution, and obviously we want to see the World Bank well led. We work closely with the World Bank. But I am absolutely dedicated to my service as Secretary of State,” she said.
Secretary Clinton came to Zambia for a conference on U.S. trade preferences under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. She says the Obama administration is asking Congress to extend those duty-free imports on certain goods for another ten years.