RABAT?British singer Elton John will perform as planned at a festival in Morocco this month despite calls from the country's main Islamic party for the gay star to be banned, organizers said Monday.

Artistic director Aziz Daki told AFP that canceling the concert on the grounds of John's homosexuality would "undermine the respect of privacy" and "breach certain values that the international Mawazine festival is based on."

Morocco's main opposition Islamist Justice and Development Party had called Friday for the singer to be banned from the festival in Rabat, arguing his appearance would pose "a risk of encouraging homosexuality in Morocco."

"At the Mawazine festival we invite artists on the basis of the quality of their performance on stage and according to their artistic career," Daki said, adding that John is "one of the world's top pop singers and composers."

He has "many fans in Morocco," the artistic director added, and "his private life is none of our business."

The Mawazine music festival takes place in the Moroccan capital from May 21 to 29. Other artists due to appear include Julio Iglesias, B.B. King and Carlos Santana.