*EPF505 04/06/01
U.S. Reports Some Progress in Its Discussions with China
(U.S. crew members of plane are being treated well) (840)
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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