Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
White House Press Briefing
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
April 2, 2001
PRESS BRIEFING BY SCOTT MCCLELLAN
The James S. Brady Briefing Room
1:35 P.M. EDT
QUESTION: Scott, does the President have a reaction to the fact that
the Chinese have apparently boarded the spy plane?
MR. MCCLELLAN: I don't have any information on that.
Q: Well, U.S. officials say it happened, so does the President not
know that that's the case or --
MR. MCCLELLAN: I'm not aware of that.
Q: Scott, the President said further, when he talked about the matter,
he referred to further tampering, which indicated that he knew
something had happened.
MS. COUNTRYMAN: No, he said, further damage.
Q: Pardon?
MS. COUNTRYMAN: He said, further damage.
Q: No. No.
Q: No, he said, further tampering. Scott, has the plane been tampered
with? Or, to what extent has the plane been tampered with?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, I think the President's statement was very clear.
Q: No, it wasn't, Scott. He didn't even address this.
MR. MCCLELLAN: Again, I have no information on whether or not the
plane has been boarded by Chinese officials.
Q: Is the accident clearly characterize as an accident or as a result
of an attack?
MR. MCCLELLAN: We consider it a midair accident.
Q: Accident?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Yes, accident; that's correct.
Q: I'm sorry, do you not have information about whether the plane was
boarded, or does the United States not have information about whether
the plane was boarded?
MR. MCCLELLAN: I do not have that information.
Q: You're not saying it doesn't exist, you just don't have it?
MR. MCCLELLAN: I have no information to that effect. So I think I've
addressed it. I think I've addressed it, though.
Q: But you're not disputing it?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, I don't know where your reports are coming from.
I'd refer you to State Department or the Pentagon on that.
Q: Well, can't we get some reaction from the President on this?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, again, I think what he said earlier was that it's
very troubling by the lack of speed in allowing us the diplomatic
access to the crew.
Q: That's not the issue, Scott.
MR. MCCLELLAN: I understand that, but I think I addressed it --
Q: No, you haven't.
MR. MCCLELLAN: - that I have no information about what you're
referring to.
Q: Did the plane fly on a special mission? It was reported it was a
routine flight.
MR. McCLELLAN: This is a routine mission over international airspace,
as we indicated earlier.
Q: Scott, in any of the conversations that the administration has had
with Chinese officials, have they indicated that the Chinese response
to this - I don't want to call it a foreign policy crisis, but
foreign policy challenge - may impact the U.S. decision to sell four
Arleigh Burke class destroyers to Taiwan?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, on the question of arms sales to Taiwan,
no decision has been made at this point. We do --
Q: I understand that. But the question was, have you indicated to the
Chinese that how they respond to this may have some influence on the
President's decision to sell those --
MR. McCLELLAN: I think right now the focus is on getting access to the
crew. And that's the focus, and that's the issue we're focused on
right now, immediate access to the crew.
Q: Right. But in those conversations, has anybody from the
administration said to the Chinese, how you respond to this, how
quickly you give us access to the crew, how quickly you let the crew
go may have some impact on our decision to sell these arms to Taiwan?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'll see if I can find out more for you.
Q: Scott, have the Chinese at least given some indication of the
condition of all the Americans?
MR. McCLELLAN: The Chinese government has indicated that the crew is
safe. And they have indicated that they are providing assistance to
the crew.
Q: Scott, does the United States have an obligation toward the
Chinese, who was downed, reparations or apology or anything of that
sort?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think the President addressed that in his
statement. He said that - at the end of his statement this morning,
he said we have offered to provide search and rescue assistance to
help the Chinese government locate the missing aircraft and the pilot,
as well.
Q: Is there an obligation on the part of the United States?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we've offered our assistance, so --
Q: Did they ever accept the offer?
MS. COUNTRYMAN: No, they have not.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, they have not.
Q: Scott, this morning you said the President was fully engaged. He
met with his Secretary of State. He's met with his Defense Secretary.
And, yet, you, speaking for him, cannot tell us whether he has any
knowledge or you have knowledge of whether the plane has been boarded.
They report to the President. He's been meeting with them all day.
Unless he's fully engaged or not, don't you know whether the plane has
been boarded?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, again, I'd refer you to the State Department.
I've addressed the question, and if I have more information for you
I'll give it to you later.
Q: The State Department doesn't have any information. I just came back
from the briefing, and they don't have information on this either.
MR. MCCLELLAN: I'm sorry, on the what?
Q: Richard Boucher just answered several questions on this very issue,
and he didn't have much information.
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, if we have more information to provide, we will,
and I'll be glad to check on it.
Q: Has the Chinese government indicated that consular officials would
be given access to the detained crew members by a certain time --
like, by tomorrow? Is that accurate? Is that good enough?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Actually - well, it's still troubling by the lack of
speed of their response. They have indicated, Chinese officials told
Ambassador Preuher that, late morning D.C. time, that consular
officials may have access late Tuesday night.
Q: May or will?
MR. MCCLELLAN: That they may have access late Tuesday night.
Q: Have they said why they haven't given us access up to this point?
Have they give us a reason why?
MR. MCCLELLAN: I'd refer you to - I mean, State Department just had a
briefing.
Q: Tuesday night there, or here?
MR. MCCLELLAN: That's their time, Chinese.
Q: Is that in response to the President's appeal just a little while
ago?
MR. MCCLELLAN: I'm sorry?
Q: Is that in response to what the President - his statement a few
minutes ago, this commitment to have access Tuesday night?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, again, we find it very troubling about the lack
of speed in responding, and we continue to press for prompt access --
that is, as early as possible - without any further delay.
Q: Scott, we're trying to get the sequence of events. Did the
notification that consular officials could see them by late Tuesday
night their time, did that notification come after the President's
statement here, do you know? We're just trying to establish a sequence
of events.
MS. COUNTRYMAN: It was around the same time frame.
MR. MCCLELLAN: I'll try and get you a readout on that afterwards.
Q: So they're saying we may not - if we see them at all, it won't be
for another 20 hours?
MR. MCCLELLAN: That's the indication from the Chinese government.
Q: What have we said back to them?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, we continue to express what the President said
earlier today, that we would like immediate access to the crew.
Q: So the President of the United States tells China he wants
immediate access and they say, well, maybe you'll get it in 20 hours?
MR. MCCLELLAN: We're continuing to talk with Chinese officials, both
in Washington and Beijing. And we're continuing to move for that to
happen as quickly as possible.
Q: Scott, for the President to be saying that he's troubled about this
time line, is there a time line that the White House and State
Department is setting for the return of the plane, as well as seeing
its crew members?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, to have access to the crew as quickly as
possible, without any further delay. We've made that clear. They have
indicated that the crew is safe. But our first priority is the crew,
and the aircraft, as well.
Q: Is there a time frame in this quickness? Is the immediacy a time
frame?
MR. MCCLELLAN: We're discussing that right now with Chinese officials,
and saying that we would like that access as quickly as possible.
Q: Or what?
Q: Scott, you just said, though, that you have to the people is most
important, but also the plane. If that's true, then what about this
report that the plane has already been boarded?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, again, I've already addressed that question.
Q: I know, but wasn't - part of that concern?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, but I've addressed that question earlier. If we
have more information on that, I'll get it to you.
Q: Scott, what's the reading of international law, as regards the
plane? Do the Chinese have any right to go on board the plane?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, I think State Department addressed that at the
briefing, so I'd refer you to State Department.
Q: So they don't have any right to go on board, we have the right to
demand --
MR. MCCLELLAN: The State Department addressed that.
Q: Do the Chinese consider this is a spying mission from the United
States to their land, and that's why they act this way?
MR. MCCLELLAN: This was a routine surveillance mission by U.S. Navy
aircraft.
Q: Let me follow up and let me reverse the situation for a moment. How
would President Bush feel if the Chinese - if Chinese spy aircraft
would be routinely flying just off the shore of San Francisco?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, you're getting into a hypothetical situation.
Q: Yes, but this is --
MR. MCCLELLAN: Both sides have said that this happened 70 miles south
of Hainan Island.
Q: I mean if the U.S. does it, then Chinese can do it, too, right? And
isn't the President --
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not going to get into a hypothetical situation
right now.
Q: Isn't the President concerned about anti-American feelings in
China?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, I think - he had the meeting with the Vice
Premier of China, Qian Qichen, and they had a productive meeting. And
both expressed that they would like to strengthen our relations,
strengthen that relationship.
Q: Scott, immediate access to the crew or what?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?
Q: I said, you're demanding immediate access to the crew.
MR. McCLELLAN: To the crew, and to the aircraft.
Q: Or what? What's the other shoe?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?
Q: What's the other shoe?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, that's what we're continuing to discuss with
Chinese officials.
Q: When do you stop discussing and start acting?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, when we have more information for you,
I'll get that to you. But we continue to press - because that's our
first priority, is the crew, that we have direct access to them.
Q: You're suggesting that in response to them saying maybe Tuesday
night, 20 hours from now, that you continue to talk, and that you're
still impatient - the President is still impatient with the
timetable. So should we conclude from that that the response to that
was, no, that's not good enough, we need to keep talking?
MR. McCLELLAN: To the response to - the response to, I'm sorry?
Q: The U.S. has told China, that's not good enough, haven't they?
Haven't we told the Chinese, it's not good enough to see them in 20
hours?
MR. McCLELLAN: Absolutely. No, we have indicated immediate access. The
President indicated that earlier today, as well.
Q: Scott, the President said that if - that the Chinese should act
promptly, to be consistent with their request for good relations with
the United States government. You have said now that you don't
consider this action prompt enough. Does that mean that China, from
the perspective of the White House, is acting in a way that's
inconsistent with good relations with this country?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, he indicated earlier that that is inconsistent
with standard diplomatic practice; with also what both countries
expressed in the meeting recently, which was for better relations.
Q: So what they're doing now is inconsistent with that and, therefore,
causing even more problems in these relations?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, it's inconsistent with the standard diplomatic
practice.
Q: At the State Department, Richard Boucher was asked whether we knew
where the crew was, physically - whether it was in the plane, on the
base, wherever it was. He said he didn't know. Does the White House
know where the crew is, physically?
MR. MCCLELLAN: If I have more information, I'll get that to you. But
State Department would be --
Q: There are reports that they're in some kind of guest house, what
they call a guest house.
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, what the Chinese government had indicated to us
is that they are providing humanitarian assistance to the crew. But
that's the information I have at this time.
Q: He didn't ask you where - the question back here wasn't where they
are, he was just asking, does the White House know where they are? I
think it's a yes or a no.
MR. MCCLELLAN: Well, the Chinese government has indicated that they're
safe and that they're providing humanitarian assistance to them. So I
think you can assume from that.
Q: That we know where they are right now? Because --
MR. MCCLELLAN: That the Chinese government is, like I said, providing
humanitarian assistance.
Q: Does the White House know where they are right now, physically?
Q: Meaning they've been taken off the plane?
Q: So we don't know?
MR. MCCLELLAN: I'm sorry?
Q: Meaning they've been taken off the plane?
MR. MCCLELLAN: I'll get back to you on that.
Q: Scott, last week, the President said that U.S. is not threat to
China. How about if China is a threat to the U.S., number one. Number
two, if Chinese are spying on the U.S.?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Do you have something to bring to my attention?
Q: Well, the President said that U.S. is not threat to China; how
about if China is threat to U.S. security?
MR. MCCLELLAN: If China, what?
Q: China is threat to the United States?
Q: Is China a threat to the United States?
Q: It's about the same question, that if they are flying off the shore
of San Francisco, do they do that?
MR. MCCLELLAN: I'd refer you to the Defense Department on that
question. I'm not aware of any --
Q: What's the explanation for the different interpretation of
international law?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Let me come back. Let me go around.
Q: Two questions. Couldn't these missions be conducted by - or
satellite? Do we have to have people on the plane to conduct these
dangerous missions?
MR. MCCLELLAN: I think that's a question for the Pentagon. But this is
a routine mission that we have been conducting.
Q: And, also, the President said our embassy officials are on the
ground. Does that mean they're actually on the island?
MS. COUNTRYMAN: They're on Hainan Island.
MR. MCCLELLAN: Okay, they are there.
Q: Scott, let me put my question in a different way. The President
said last week that U.S. is not threat to China. He meant that
security threat or military threat. How about if China is threat to
the United States, as far as military threat is concerned?
MR. MCCLELLAN: I'm sorry?
Q: I think what he means is, the U.S. has said that deployment of
national missile defense should not be interpreted by China as a
threat, right?
Q: Yes.
MR. MCCLELLAN: Right. That was addressed after the meeting with the
Vice Premier. I think that's already previously been addressed.
....
Q: Scott, you have said several times that this was a routine mission.
I presume you are aware of just how routine and could give us some
information about how often these flights are undertaken, and how
close they come to the shore?
MR. MCCLELLAN: We don't provide that information from here, but --
Q: Then how do you know they're routine?
MR. MCCLELLAN: The Pentagon, if you want to refer that question to
them.
Q: Now, wait a minute. If you're going to stand at the podium and tell
the American people these are routine missions, I believe we expect
you to know something about how routine they are.
MR. MCCLELLAN: And that's why I would refer you to the Pentagon, so
they can talk in more detail about what that entails. I think the
Pentagon is the appropriate place to refer that.
We had a question back here in the back.
Q: Scott, I just have a question regarding Taiwan. Does Taiwan ever
come up, ever arise when President meets with his national security
team? And, also, you answered a previous question regarding arm sales
to Taiwan. You said the decision has not been decided. But I just
wonder, in any way it affects the President's decision, like
postponing the arms talk with Taiwan.
MR. MCCLELLAN: About - has this situation?
Q: Incident, accident, or whatever, will this --
MR. MCCLELLAN: The President has repeatedly iterated that - our
support for the Taiwan Relations Act, and that we will help Taiwan
defend itself. No decision has been made at this time, and when we do
have a decision, then we will let you know at that point what the
decision was.
Q: Has Taiwan ever come up during the discussion, when the President
met with his national security team?
MR. MCCLELLAN: Has Taiwan?
Q: Yes, this morning.
MR. MCCLELLAN: Oh, this morning? I will check on things, see if I can
get you a further readout.
Q: Again, the same question, have the Chinese given us any indication
of why we cannot have access to the crew? I asked the same question at
the State Department, and they directed me to China.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I don't, I don't have any information.
....
Q: When the Pacific Commander briefed reporters yesterday in Hawaii,
he was very clear about what he felt, what the American view of what
was required under international law would be; and, in fact, he even
spoke about what would happen if the situation were reversed. He spoke
about immediate access to the crew, he spoke about no tampering or
boarding of the plane, and he spoke about repatriation of the crew as
quickly as possible.
Twenty-four hours or more has now passed, and apparently none of those
things have happened, and perhaps one of those has been violated. In
light of all of that, is it the American view that the Chinese have
violated international norms standards?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, what the President indicated earlier, and I think
I addressed this at the beginning, that it is inconsistent with
standard diplomatic practice, what is going on right now. And so we
need to - we're going to continue to make that known to the Chinese
government, both here and in Beijing.
Q: My question was, are they violating international law?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, what they are doing - I addressed that - is
inconsistent with standard diplomatic practice.
Q: Thank you.
MR. MCCLELLAN: Thanks.
END 1:55 P.M. EDT
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