New York: India firmly rejected any move to set up a new category of semi-permanent or rotational permanent members of the UN Security Council, saying there has to be "equal status" for all in the world body as Japan, Germany and Brazil joined it in pressing for "meaningful" UN reforms reflecting current realities.

"We reject any move to try to create a new category of semi-permanent or rotational permanent members of the Security Council as this not only diverts attention and skirts the need for reforming it but takes it in the opposite direction," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said during his meeting with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan yesterday (Sep 21, 2004).

Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran told reporters that Singh reaffirmed India's commitment to the UN and its role in the international community while stressing that UN reforms were essential for effective multilateralism.

The Prime Minister said such reforms should be "broad" in character covering the UN General Assembly, the Security Council and other arms of the world body.

Asked about suggestions that there could be two categories of permanent members with one not having any veto power, Saran said India was against any such proposal.

"This is not proper. There has to be equal status," Saran said.