NEWS Ugandan Anglicans caution US on gay bishop August 13, 2003 KAMPALA, Uganda - Leaders of a Ugandan Anglican Church will sever ties with a United States diocese if a gay priest, who has been nominated for bishop, is consecrated, reports said Tuesday. The Church of Uganda's bishops, in a letter to the Bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church Centre in New York, Frank Griswold, last week also warned that contact would be severed with other Anglican churches or episcopal organisations that do likewise. "We condemn in the strongest terms possible the said approval of the Reverend Canon Gene Robinson to become a bishop in the Church of Christ," the two-page statement dated August 8 read. "And if your Grace and the entire Episcopal Church of the U.S. shall proceed with the consecration of a renowned homosexual clergyman - you shall leave us no choice but to disassociate and cut off communion with that priest and his would-be diocese of New Hampshire," it added. The nomination of Robinson as bishop and his pending consecration has threatened to split the entire 70 million-strong Anglican Christian Church, with the strongest opposition coming from conservative African Christians. Uganda has over eight million Anglican Christian followers out of a population of 24 million. Sapa-DPA Related stories Malawi Anglican bishop threatens rift over gay bishop Malawi: Churches condemn condoms in prisons South African Anglicans celebrate priest's birthday Ugandan Anglicans to cut links with US gay bishop's diocese British gay bishop's approval threatens Anglican communion split UK Archbishop urges care after gay US bishop appointment Cape Town Anglican archbishop calls for dialogue on gay bishop