Most people around the world reject the idea that Islam and the West are caught in an inevitable clash of civilisations, according to a survey.

Instead, they believe tensions are caused by conflict over political power rather than fundamental differences of religion and culture.

The poll of 28,000 people in 27 countries, by the BBC World Service, also revealed that most people blame intolerant minorities for the problems rather than the cultures as a whole.

The results of the study were welcomed by religious leaders.

A spokesman for the Church of Scotland said: "The results are not surprising but encouraging all the same that people worldwide have come to this conclusion."

Osama Saeed, the Scottish representative of the Muslim Association of Britain, said: "We would certainly endorse the findings of this poll. There is not an inevitable clash of cultures but the problem is at government level.

"Basically there are two great superpowers - America and her allies and, at the other end, the people themselves who have rejected the concept of the war in Iraq and want to see sanity return to the international arena.

"The problems are only caused by those with a vested interest. Nonetheless, it is pleasing that the poll shows people of different religious denominations have respect for each other and feel they have a common ground."

The survey was carried out by the Programme on International Policy Attitudes (Pipa) at Maryland University by polling firm GlobeScan.

Steven Kull, director of Pipa, said: "Most people reject the idea Islam and the West are caught in an inevitable clash of civilisations.'' Doug Miller, president of GlobeScan, added: "Perhaps the strongest finding is that so many people across the world blame intolerant minorities on both sides for the tensions between Islam and the West."

Of those questioned, 52% said tensions were down to conflicting interests, while 29% said religious or cultural differences was at the heart of the problems.

Only in Nigeria did a majority of people (56%) say tensions arise from religion and culture. Kenyans and Poles were divided on the issue.

Overall, 55% of Muslims said problems emerge from political conflict. Among Christians, 51% agreed with this.

Some 58% said intolerant minorities were the root cause of the conflict while 26% said fundamental differences were to blame.

Only two countries - Brazil and the United Arab Emirates - were divided over whether problems arose from intolerant minorities or whether cultures as a whole was to blame.

The other 25 countries, including Britain, held the view that intolerant minorities were responsible.

However, 28% of those questioned believe violent conflict between Islam and the West is inevitable but twice as many (56%) believe "common ground can be found".

Of the 5000 Muslims polled, 52% said they believe it is possible to find common ground. Indonesia was the only country where the opinion that violent conflict is inevitable was predominant.

Britain had the second-largest proportion of people of any country polled saying they believe Islam and the West could find common ground, with 77% backing the idea.

In Italy the figure was 78% and in Canada it was 73%. In the US 64% of people agreed.

A total of 28,389 people in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and the United States were interviewed for the survey.