CROATIAN CULTURE MINISTER REGRETS AFFAIR WITH PAKISTANI MUSICIANS

ZAGREB, Nov 11 (Hina) - Croatian Culture Minister Antun Vujic on Monday forwarded a statement to the association Healthy Society Multiculture, expressing regret that the association had to cancel a concert by the Pakistani band "Rizwan - Muazzam Qawwali" in Croatia. #L# "Concerning the misunderstanding with the concert of Pakistan's Rizwan - Muazzam Qawwali band in Croatia, I regret that the concert was cancelled," Vujic said in the statement to the band and the organisers of the concert. Vujic says that he established that the misunderstanding occurred at lower administration levels and that the relevant bodies, including the Culture Ministry, were not consulted. Vujic expressed hope that the Croatian public would have the opportunity to welcome the Pakistani musicians in the near future. The minister asked the association's president, Zoran Maric, to convey his message to the Pakistani musicians and inform them about the wish of the Croatian audience to welcome them and enjoy their music. The Pakistani band did not hold the concert because the Interior Ministry refused to issue them with entry visas "for security reasons" the day before their concert in Zagreb. (hina) sp rml sb