Veto Threatens Candidate From Ghana Leading Race for Top U.N. Job

The contest for the post of U.N. secretary-general was deadlocked Wednesday, with the head of U.N. peacekeeping operations, Kofi Annan of Ghana, leading the field of four African candidates but unable to shake off a potential French veto.

Further balloting was set for today.

After two unofficial Security Council polls Tuesday and another three Wednesday, Annan remained the only candidate who consistently obtained more than the nine votes needed to win council endorsement once official balloting takes place.

On Wednesday his support hovered between 11 and 12 votes. But each time, the votes against him included one cast by a permanent member of the 15-nation Security Council--generally believed to be France. The other permanent members are the United States, Russia, Britain and China. All five have veto power.

The person formally nominated by the council once an official vote is held is certain to be endorsed by the 185-nation General Assembly.

Annan’s nearest rival was Ivory Coast Foreign Minister Amara Essy, who presided over the General Assembly in 1994-95 and is believed to be France’s favorite.

His support hovered between six and seven votes Wednesday, but he was opposed each time by two permanent council members--widely believed to be the U.S. and Britain.

The other candidates are Hamid Algabid of Niger and Ahmedou Ould Abdallah of Mauritania.

If Annan continues to be threatened with a potential veto and no other credible candidate enters the race, a compromise might be worked out among the council’s permanent members, particularly the U.S. and France.

Africa has been given priority so far since it is an unwritten tradition for a secretary-general to be given two five-year terms.

Egypt’s Boutros Boutros-Ghali, whose term expires Dec. 31, has suspended his candidacy. If he is denied a second term, council members have said that his successor should be an African.

If unofficial balloting proves this to be impossible, candidates from other continents might be accepted, with speculation that Asia could be given an opportunity.