Asserting that the war on Iraq be avoided, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Saturday said the Non Aligned Movement should put pressure on the United States to find a solution to the crisis through the United Nations.

"War should be avoided and a solution to the Iraq crisis be found through the United Nations Security Council," Vajpayee, who arrived here to attend the summit of the 116-member grouping, told reporters on board the special Air-India aircraft.

He said the NAM should try to put pressure on the US to resolve the Iraq crisis through United Nations Security Council.

The prime minister side-stepped a question whether he would shake hands with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf during the Summit saying, "Kadam to mila sakte naheen (we cannot take steps together)."

Asked if he could do business with Musharraf, the prime minister said, "It depends on the development. If they stop cross-border terrorism then we will talk tomorrow."

To a remark that the US was hopeful that he and Musharraf would meet, Vajpayee said, "US knows our position. We have conveyed our stand to our friends."

About the future of NAM, he said it has to be revitalised and work for building a multi-polar world order.

"Cold war has ended. We want to make a multi-polar world and NAM should focus on that," he said.

In a statement in New Delhi before leaving for Kuala Lumpur for the summit beginning on February 24, Vajpayee said the NAM has to fashion an effective economic agenda, which will  project the concerns and protect the interests of developing countries in the face of globalisation.