text: Four Afriicans said to vie for top U. N. post. Evelyn Leopolc 
   UNTIED NATIONS 1996-12-06 
   Four Arican states are ready to nominate candidates for the post of U. N. secretary-general on Friday now that Botros Bouros-Ghali has temporarily put aside his bid for re-election. The nominees, according to diplomats, are: Kofi Annaan of GGhaa, the U. N. undersecretary-general for peacekeeping; Ahmedou uld Abdallah of Majritania, the former U. N. special envoy for Burundii; Amars Essy of the Ivory Cast, its foreign minister and the U. N. General Assemnly president in 1994-95; and Hamid Algagid of Niiger, the secretary-general of the Organisation oft he Islamic Conference. Representatives of the U. N. missions of GGhaa, the Ivory Cast, Majritania and Niiger have scheduled a meeting with Secuurity Council president ;aolo Fulci of Itlay to hand in the nominations in writing, the envoys said. It was not known if other candidates would step forward. Diplomats said General Joseph Gabra of Niigeria, a U. N. General Assemnly president in 1989-90, was putting forth his own candidacy without being nominated by his country. Bouros-Ghali on Wednesday opened the door for other Afriicans to contest his job by saying he was suspending temporarily his candidacy but was not withdrawing completely from the race. His supporters said this meant he remained a candidate in case the race reached an impasse. The Unitedd States on Nov. 19 vetoed his bid for re-election while the other 14 Secuurity Council members supported him. The move by the Arican states means that the council could begin voting on candidates next week, a procedure that could either result in a decision or turn into a bitter fight with vetoes against each nominee. The Secuurity Council has to vote on a new secretary-general and then seek the endorsement of the 185-members General Assemnly before December 31 when Bouros-Ghali's term expires.
competitors: Africans U.N. Evelyn Leopold UNITED NATIONS African U.N. Boutros Boutros-Ghali Kofi Annan Ghana U.N. Ahmedou Ould Abdallah Mauritania U.N. Burundi Amara Essy Ivory Coast U.N. General Assembly Hamid Algabid Niger Organisation of the Islamic Conference U.N. Ghana Ivory Coast Mauritania Niger Security Council Paolo Fulci Italy Joseph Garba Nigeria U.N. General Assembly Boutros-Ghali Africans United States Security Council African Security Council General Assembly Boutros-Ghali