PARIS, April 30: The French Muslim community, which was to elect on May 26 its first representative council, the Conseil representatif du culte Musulman (CRCM), has decided to postpone indefinitely the elections, given its inability to receive the support of the Grande Mosquee de Paris.

The Grande Mosquee, which until now had represented the interests of French Muslims, is considered as partial to the interests of one country, Algeria, which has always held the upper hand in guiding the destinies of the Grande Mosquee. It was also instrumental in naming its rector, Dalil Boubakeur.

The Grande Mosquee and its rector are considered not only close to Algeria, but also to the French Right, and notably President Jacques Chirac.

Sources in the French Interior Ministry, which two years ago under the control of the French Socialist Party had come up with the idea of giving the French Muslim community a truly representational assembly which would not be under the influence of a single country, say that the Grande Mosquee refuses to accord its support to the CRCM for the simple reason that within the larger assembly its own interests would be overshadowed.

The other major Islamic representational institution, the Union des organisations Islamiques de France (UOIF), which is close to the Muslim Brotherhood, is also known to have the favours of the French Socialist Party.