rtokens: The nominees , according to diplomats , are : Kofi Annan of Ghana , the U.N. undersecretary-general for peacekeeping ; Ahmedou Ould Abdallah of Mauritania , the former U.N. special envoy for Burundi ; Amara Essy of the Ivory Coast , its foreign minister and the U.N. General Assembly president in 1994-95 ; and Hamid Algabid of Niger , the secretary-general of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference .
pos: CD JJ NNS VBP JJ TO VB NNS IN DT NN IN NNP NN IN NNP RB IN NNP NNP VBZ RB VB RB PRP$ NN IN NN .
tokens: Four African states are ready to nominate candidates for the post of U.N. secretary-general on Friday now that Boutros Boutros-Ghali has temporarily put aside his bid for re-election .
ltokens: UNITED NATIONS 1996-12-06