WASHINGTON, April 12  Paul D. Wolfowitz, the president of the World Bank, apologized today for his role in arranging a highly paid job at the State Department for a woman with whom he has a personal relationship.

“I made a mistake, for which I am sorry,” Mr. Wolfowitz said in a statement on the World Bank’s Web site. He said that in retrospect he should have “trusted my original instincts” and stayed out of the job negotiations involving the woman, Shaha Ali Riza.

The transfer of Ms. Riza from the World Bank to a higher-paying job at the State Department  although she remained on the World Bank payroll  has caused resentment among employees of the World Bank, and at an unfortunate time. The controversy threatens to overshadow the annual meeting of the World Bank and its sister organization, the International Monetary Fund, in Washington this weekend. The yearly event draws finance ministers from hundreds of countries.

Mr. Wolfowitz seemed to be throwing himself on the mercy of the World Bank board members, who are meeting today. “I will accept any remedies they propose,” he said in his statement. He had promised earlier to “cooperate fully” with the board’s review of the episode.