(AINA) -- A conference on the 1915-1918 Turkish genocide of Assyrians, Greeks and Armenians was cancelled because of threats received by the speakers. The conference, scheduled for April 27, was organized by Foundation Assyria Netherlands and the Jewish St. Synagogue in the city of Enschede.

In the last 10 days numerous anonymous threats were received by the conference. Mr. Z. Alsan, a Turkish national, was to speak on why Turkey denied the Genocide. Dr. H. Hirschfeld, from the Centrum for Information en Documentation Israel, was to speak on why the Jewish genocide has been recognized. Prof. Johannes Houwink ten Cate, of the university in Amsterdam, was to speak on the nature and recognition of genocide. Dr. M. Beth Arsan, an Assyrian from Holland, was to speak on why the Assyrians want recognition of the genocide.

Citing the threats, the organizers cancelled the conference after all four speakers withdrew their participation. Mr. Aslan received the most threats. He has spoken on the genocide on previous occasions, but this time the threats were so numerous and intense he was forced to cancel his appearance. Some of the threats came directly from Turkey.

The conference was largely financed by the Provincial Parliament Overijssel, which desired to stimulate the debate between Assyrians and Turks on this issue.