U.S. Reports Some Progress in Its Discussions with China
By Wendy S. Ross
Washington File White House Correspondent
Washington - The United States government said April 6 that it
believes it is making progress in its intensive discussions with the
government of China on bringing home the 24 crew members of a U.S.
Navy reconnaissance plane that made an emergency landing on the
Chinese island of Hainan April 1 following an air collision with a
Chinese fighter plane.
President Bush, speaking April 6 at the start of a business speech in
the Washington suburbs, said "We're working hard to bring them home
through intensive discussions with the Chinese government, and we
think we're making progress."
The crew members "are doing just fine," and are being treated well by
the Chinese, Bush said, reporting on a phone discussion he held
earlier in the day with the U.S. defense attache in China, Brigadier
General Neal Sealock, who had just met with the crew members for the
second time.
"Earlier this morning, I talked with General Sealock, who once again
visited with our crew for about an hour today, and reports that they
are doing just fine. They are housed in officers quarters, and they
are being treated well," said Bush.
"We're proud of these young men and women who are upholding the high
standards of our armed forces. We know this is a difficult time for
their families, and I thank them for their patriotism and their
patience," Bush added.
White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters that Bush and
Sealock spoke for about 10 minutes, and the President "was very
heartened" to hear the crew was in good condition.
"The President is pleased that events are moving forward. There
remains work to be done. Intensive discussions are continuing in
China. So the President is pleased with what is taking place, but he's
cognizant of the fact that work does remain, and the end result
remains that our men and women should come home, and our plane should
be returned," said Fleischer.
Fleischer said the second meeting between U.S. diplomats and the U.S.
crew members - unlike the first meeting - was not attended by
Chinese observers.
Secretary of State Powell also spoke about the situation April 6, with
reporters at the State Department.
He said that U.S. Ambassador to China Joseph Prueher has been "meeting
regularly now with his counterparts in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, and there has been movement in the discussions and
negotiations."
"We are encouraged at this point and those discussions continue," said
Powell, adding that "we are exchanging rather precise ideas as to how
to bring this to a conclusion."
"We are in very intensive discussions and negotiations and exchanging
ideas and papers, and there has been movement, but that's as far as
I'd like to go right now," the Secretary of State told reporters.
Reporting on the U.S. crew members, Powell said "they are in fine
shape, they're in good health, they're in high spirits, the morale is
great."
He said that General Sealock had told the President that they "make
you feel real proud. They looked good."
They are residing in Chinese officers' quarters, Powell said, "and the
rooms that they're in are clean and well lit, and they have all the
provisions they need. They are receiving catered food from outside. So
the Chinese are taking good care of our men and women. They are two to
a room. The three ladies are in one room together. And the aircraft
commander, as the commander, is in a separate room."
Powell said the United States expects "to see them again tomorrow
(April 7) and "is making arrangements to see them on a regular basis
until this matter is resolved.
"There is no indication of any physical or verbal mistreatment,"
Powell added.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said at his daily briefing
for reporters that "clearly, in the meeting today, there were a few
less fetters than there were on Tuesday. But as far as having the kind
of access that we were looking for, we'll continue to press for free
and completely unfettered," access.
Both Boucher and Fleischer said that the U.S. government had not
changed its position regarding an apology.
"On the apology, the American position has not changed," Fleischer
said, when asked.
"Our position certainly has not changed on that point," Boucher said.
Boucher said he expects the U.S. side, including the people in
Washington and the Secretary of State, "to be working this 24 hours a
day, seven days a week, as long as we're still seeing our crew members
detained, as long as we don't have them back with us, and as long as
we have yet to resolve these issues. So as long as there's a prospect
of resolving these issues, we'll keep working it."
(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)
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