An all-party meeting on Monday failed to reach unanimity on a parliamentary resolution against any unilateral US action with some opposition parties accusing the government of being unwilling to 'annoy' Washington.

The two-hour long meeting saw the prime minister emphasising that the situation is 'very fluid' and saying that war should be averted and all decisions should be taken through the UN.

Outlining the government stand on Iraq crisis, Vajpayee told leaders from different parties that the 'middle path' was being pursued as India has good relations with both US and Iraq.

"However powerful a country may be, it cannot take unilateral action," he told the meeting.

India would not extend facilities to the US if it went ahead with unilateral military action against Iraq without UN sanction, he said.

The prime minister said it is better to wait for a decision by the UN Security Council on the situation in Iraq, BJP spokesperson V K Malhotra told reporters after the meeting.

Vajpayee also assured the leaders India's interest would be safeguarded and that the government is closely monitoring the situation.

Opposition leaders, including CPI-M's Somnath Chatterjee and RJD's Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, told reporters that a consensus eluded the meeting on the issue of bringing forth in Parliament a unanimous resolution condemning any possible unilateral action by the US against Iraq.

Describing the meeting as 'very disappointing', CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee charged the government with trying to 'keep the US happy'.

Chatterjee also criticised US ambassador Robert D Blackwill's statement that India supported Washington's view on Iraq and said it showed his arrogance.

RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh also criticised the government for not agreeing to a joint resolution in Parliament.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi said the UN and its charter must be upheld as a sheet anchor for peace and no power, howsoever strong militarily, should take action against Iraq without UN mandate.

Besides, she disapproved of the talk of regime change in Iraq, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Manmohan Singh.

Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said a war should be averted under any circumstances and wondered as to how Baghdad could be attacked when UN inspectors have given it a 'clean chit'.

The TDP, an ally of the BJP, said it would support any resolution on Iraq.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Manmohan Singh.

Others present included Vijay Kumar Malhotra (BJP), Somnath Chatterjee (CPI-M), K Yerrandaidu (TDP), Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP), Chandrakant Khaire (Shiv Sena), T R Baalu (DMK), P H Pandian (AIADMK), Rashid Alvi (BSP), Digvijay Singh (Samata Party), B J Panda (BJD), Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD), P A Sangma (NCP), Sushil Indora (INLD), Ajoy Chakraborty (CPI), Sharad Yadav (JD-U), S K Mandal (RSP), P D Elangovan (PMK) and Bir Singh Mahato (FB).