Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=04-03-01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-274498

TITLE=POWELL/CHINA (L)

BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell says the crew of the U-S Naval surveillance plane that collided with a Chinese fighter jet is being held in detention and that the incident has already damaged Sino/U-S relations. Correspondent Nick Simeone reports the Bush Administration is warning Beijing the 24 Americans and their plane must be allowed to return to the United States soon or else Beijing risks causing further damage in relations with Washington.

TEXT: This standoff shows no sign of being resolved as quickly as the Bush Administration would like. Shortly after President Bush told the nation the incident is putting Sino/U-S relations on the line, Secretary of State Powell - for the first time - described the 24 Americans who were aboard the Naval surveillance plane as being held against their will. He spoke to reporters enroute from Florida to Washington.

/// POWELL ACT ///

The Chinese have said they're being protected, I don't know from what. In my judgement, they're being detained and to some extent, I can call them (eds: refer to them), they're incommunicado because they're not free to call out or move about freely.

/// END ACT ///

And he says United States has no reason to apologize to China for an incident that Washington considers to have been an accident.

/// SECOND POWELL ACT //

We have nothing to apologize for. We did not do anything wrong. Our airplane was in international airspace. An accident took place and the pilot, in order to save 24 lives including his own, under circumstances that I have now determined must have been hair-raising, safely got that plane on the ground.

/// END ACT ///

On Tuesday, a U-S military attache was allowed to see the 24 American airmen who were aboard the Navy plane that U-S officials say was performing a routine surveillance mission when it collided with the Chinese fighter jet. But Beijing has given no indication that it is ready to release the crew and allow the plane to leave. U-S officials say they are now considering a range of options if China does not move quickly to end this standoff. (SIGNED)

NEB/NJS/PT