The primates, headed by the Archbishop of Nigeria, Dr Peter Akinola, suggested that Dr Williams's "personal dissent" from the traditionalist line on homosexuality has prevented him from taking the " necessary steps" to confront the liberal churches of Canada and the US.

The two countries began the crisis that has brought the Church close to schism by authorising same-sex blessings in New Westminster, Canada, and ordaining the openly gay Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire.

The Global South primates want Dr Williams to not invite the leaders of the liberal churches to the 2008 Lambeth Conference, the ten-yearly gathering of Anglican bishops from around the world.

Their letter was drafted at a recent meeting in Egypt, where Dr Williams spoke to them on the Catholic and holy nature of the Apostolic Church.

In a statement posted yesterday on the Anglican Communion website, Bishop Handford noted that the letter was posted on conservative evangelical websites and was being read around the world before Dr Williams, who was busy with a General Synod meeting in London, had had an opportunity to read it.

"It is most regrettable and in no way helpful to the Church's mission that a personal letter, which should have been confidential, was broadcast in this way," he said.

"My concerns go further than that. As one whose name has been associated with the letter without my permission, I believe I need to make my position clear. I attended the Global South Encounter in Egypt with some reluctance, but felt that it was appropriate to be there because the meeting was taking place in the Province of which I am President Bishop.

"While I saw a first draft of the letter, I was not involved in any subsequent discussion of it. Several other primates shared my unease. In no way did I give permission for my name to be associated with the letter."

The Primate of the Southern Cone (of America), the Most Rev Greg Venables, also distanced himself from the letter, describing its publication as "scandalous".

END