Anglican leaders from Scotland and Mexico called for tolerance yesterday after a row about homosexuality split the Communion.

The call came from Primus Idris Jones, of the Scottish Episcopal Church, and Archbishop Carlos Touche-Porter of Mexicoat a conference in Manchester Cathedral to promote "inclusive theology".

The event, attended by Anglicans from across the UK, followed last week's undertaking by the US Episcopal Church to modify its liberal approach to homosexuality.

Also, many African Anglicans have threatened to leave the worldwide Communion after the first openly gay bishop was ordained.

The Scottish and Mexican leaders were expected to voice the view that gay people should live a fully equal life within the church.

But the Dean of Manchester Cathedral, The Very Rev Rogers Govender, said they were not so explicit.

He said: "It was a very good conference, very positive with about 50 people here and the two speakers were both very well received, it was a very positive experience.

"No specific calls were made at all.

"The conference was about issues of Anglican diversity and what they said -and others said in the course of the day - is that the Anglican church is historically diverse and makes room for people of different persuasions.

"At this critical time we need to reclaim that ground and make sure we put in our views on retaining that ethos which is essentially Anglican - rather than having extreme views on either side of the debate."

The Very Rev said sexuality was only one issue - among ordination of "women bishops and general hermeneutics" - that will be "teasing Anglicanism".

"We need to make sure extremists don't entrench divisions," he said.

"Today's issue seems to be sexuality but if it wasn't that extremists would find something else to derail us being together."

The Dean added that the conference resolved to fight for Anglicanism's "spirit of generosity".

"It is likely that the vast majority of Anglicans want to stay with the broad church - there have always been tensions.

"There are small minded lobby groups being vocal and we mustn't allow that voice to drown out mainstream voices."

Some African provinces and their attendant US bishops are on the verge of taking public action to split from the Communion.

Speaking before yesterday's Celebrating Anglican Diversity conference, Archbishop Carlos Touche-Porter, Primate of the Anglican Church in Mexico, told the Scottish Episcopal Church website: "Inclusion is a reality in the Anglican Church, despite reports to the contrary."

The Most Rev Dr Idris Jones, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, said: "This is Anglican mainstream and we have to make it clear that it represents majority opinion among church leaders. Attempts to try to turn the Communion into something that is controlled from the centre, with expulsion the result of disagreement, will fail."