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CNN Live Saturday

State Department Will Not Characterize Saturday Meetings with Chinese Officials

Aired April 07, 2001 - 12:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: The State Department is walking a fine line between trying to resolve the spy plane incident and making a statement it may regret in the future.

For the latest on the diplomatic dance at the State Department, our David Ensor -- David.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Donna, the latest from State Department spokesman Richard Boucher is that we are now in the middle of the night Saturday in Beijing, a day in which Ambassador Prueher, the U.S ambassador in Beijing, held two different meetings at the Chinese Foreign Ministry with his counterparts.

The spokesman not willing, at this point, to characterize how those meetings have gone, whether things are moving forward, backward or how. Simply saying that they are exchanging papers and ideas, and hope to move forward as soon as possible.

Down in Hainan Island, of course, as you mentioned, the U.S. delegation down there is hoping to meet soon with the U.S. crew members for the third time. At the moment, we gather they are meeting with Chinese officials. Again, it's the middle of the night. Not clear whether or not that meeting will go ahead, although U.S. officials hope and expect that will soon.

So, that is basically the state of play. The U.S. hoping to resolve this soon, but it's not resolved yet -- Donna.

KELLEY: David Ensor at the State Department, thank you.

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