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CNN Live Saturday

U.S, Chinese Diplomats Continue To Negotiate for 24 Detainees

Aired April 07, 2001 - 16:03   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: Another day of intense talks between U.S. and Chinese negotiators, as they try to resolve a week-long standoff. Two U.S. diplomats met for a third time with the 24 U.S. crewmembers being detained on the Chinese island of Hainan. The 21 men and three women are said to be in very high spirits.

We want to turn now to CNN's Lisa Rose Weaver, and she is with us from Hainan Island with more.

LISA ROSE WEAVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, U.S. officials have met for the third time with the 24 air crewmembers still in Chinese custody, but there is no date set for their release. Now, shortly after the meeting, both the Chinese side and American sides came out and made a short statement.

The Chinese side said that clearly an apology from the United States would be necessary to get through this impasse. They also reiterated that or said that they are continuing to search for the Chinese pilot, Wang Wei. He went down in his F-8 after the collision with the U.S. surveillance flight over the South China Sea. They say nearly 800 vessels have been called into action to search for a Chinese pilot that officials have not yet declared dead.

Now, the U.S. side was represented by Brigadier General Neal Sealock. His emphasis was very much on the mental and physical health of the crewmembers. He said he was convinced that they were basically doing fine. He added that they had been able to give them printed versions of e-mail messages from friends and family in the United States, and that the men and women were very happy to receive those messages.

Now, neither side delved into any of the differences that they might have. Instead, the statements were fairly general, and geared forward apparently getting past this impasse and from the Chinese side, getting a clear apology from the United States; from the American side, achieving the release of the 24 crew members.

This is Lisa Rose Weaver in Haikou, Hainan.

KELLEY: And Lisa Rose Weaver joining us on our videophone here on CNN with the latest for you.

In the tough but delicate attempt to free the plane's crew, the U.S. ambassador to China met twice today with Chinese officials. CNN's White House correspondent Kelly Wallace is with us now from Washington with more on that.

Hi, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, hi there, Donna. That is right, and President Bush was briefed earlier this morning on that latest diplomacy. The president spending the weekend at the presidential retreat at Camp David, but is definitely monitoring developments.

And the latest developments from here at the White House, Brigadier General Neal Sealock has briefed the White House on his latest meeting with the 24 crewmembers. White House officials that saying no Chinese officials were present at this latest meeting. President Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, then briefed him about the comments coming from Brigadier General Sealock about this latest meeting.

White House officials are describing the president as concerned and persistent. Basically, the president continuing, White House officials say, to work on diplomatic efforts to secure the release of these American men and women.

Now in the latest developments, Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen has sent a letter back to the United States, apparently indicating that China still believes there must be a formal apology coming from the United States, and a short time ago, Ari Fleischer, the White House press secretary, briefed some reporters. A reporter asked, does the administration view this letter as a setback. Ari Fleischer said no. Again, the White House still saying it believes progress is being made.

At that time same time, though, White House certainly knows that the longer this standoff continues, criticisms could start to mount, and we already have some people speaking out. Former President Jimmy Carter has spoken out, basically saying how important it is, of course, for the U.S. and China to somehow find a way to resolve this dispute.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY CARTER, FRM. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Chinese are very sensitive people. They still consider themselves to be the middle kingdom with the rest of the world rotating around them, and I think we should be very sensitive to their sensitivities. But my hope is we can get this process out of the public arena, with TV cameras and all focused on and maybe overemphasizing the differences, and let quiet diplomacy take over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: The White House certainly staying that diplomacy is taking over, saying over the past 24 hours there has been ongoing diplomacy, ongoing efforts. We've been reporting throughout the day efforts to maybe put together some letter or letters between the two countries, a way to bring an end to the standoff. One White House official saying that those letters are not in final form. Ongoing efforts again to resolve this standoff.

One other development, Donna, the wife of the Chinese pilot still missing, believed to be dead following the collision with the American surveillance plane, has sent President Bush a letter and in that letter, the wife apparently describes Mr. Bush's actions as cowardly and calls on the United States to apologize.

Now, the White House is not disputing the text of the letter, and is saying that the White House has received such a letter. The White House, though, is not offering any immediate response. Said one official, the president's focus is on our diplomatic efforts to win the release of the crew.

That's the latest from here, Donna, back to you.

KELLEY: Kelly, on another matter, at the White House, is there any other information or response to this helicopter crash that's happened in Vietnam?

WALLACE: Absolutely, of course, another big story that the White House official are certainly monitoring. We understand that there should be a statement coming out this afternoon from President Bush about this latest crash involving U.S. servicemen. The president is expected to offer his condolences and prayers to the service member's families. I believe seven members killed, some U.S.-Vietnamese joint exercise to search for those missing in action.

So, another development the White House watching very closely. We should hear a statement from the president sometime this afternoon -- Donna.

KELLEY: OK, thanks Kelly. Kelly Wallace at the White House

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