BARCELONA - The decision to cancel a major telecoms conference in Barcelona slated for later this month after mass withdrawals due to fears over a coronavirus outbreak was motivated only by a desire to protect people's health and safety, organisers said on Thursday.

"This is not about money - it's about health and safety and the reputation of our show," Mats Granryd, director general of the GSMA telecoms association that hosts the event told a news conference the day after announcing its cancellation.

Granryd added this was a "force majeure" situation, and "there is no way you can insure yourself out of a force majeure situation".

(Reporting by Jordi Rubio and May Ponzo, Writing by Isla Binnie Editing by Jose Elias Rodriguez) ((isla.binnie@thomsonreuters.com; +39 06 8522 4392; Reuters Messaging: isla.binnie.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))