The head of Indonesia's largest Islamic organisation has rejected a breakfast invitation from the US Congress, blaming the possible war against Iraq and new US immigration rules.

"God willing I won't go," Hasyim Muzadi, chairman of the moderate Nahdlatul Ulama said, as quoted by the official news agency Antara today.

Muzadi said his counterpart in Muhammadiyah, the second-largest Muslim organisation, would also not be attending the February 4-7 event, Antara reported.

Neither Muzadi nor Muhammadiyah's national chairman, Syafii Maarif, could be reached for confirmation.

Antara quoted Muzadi as saying the National Prayer Breakfast has no more relevance because of the possible US attack on Iraq.

He also said he and Maarif would reject the invitation because of Washington's decision last month to add Indonesia to a list of countries whose nationals in the US must register with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service.

US officials adopted the rules to help them track potential terrorists following the September 11, 2001, attacks.

The government of Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country, has called the rules discriminatory.

Yesterday, Vice President Hamzah Haz said the US and its allies should let the United Nations deal with Iraq because any unilateral action would destabilise the world. "We are still against the plans of the US and its allies to attack Iraq," Haz said.