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American Morning

Second Meeting with U.S. Crewmembers Takes Place

Aired April 06, 2001 - 11:01   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.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: First, as we've been doing all this week, let's begin with the very latest in the spy plane standoff between the United States and China.

Joining us right now from the White House, our senior correspondent there, John King -- John, good morning.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, to you, Stephen.

More optimistic talk from the administration today following this second meeting with those 24 crewmembers on Hainan Island in China. U.S. diplomats allowed to visit them again for a second time. We're also told there are plans in the work for a third meeting tomorrow, although U.S. officials telling CNN that is not guaranteed us yet, but they do expect it to happen.

In the words of the White House spokesman Ari Fleischer this morning, quote, "It was another night of continued intense diplomacy. The president believes we are moving forward."

Now still no public signs of progress in terms of meeting the president's demand, the release of crew and the return of that plane, but we are told that when we hear from Secretary of State Colin Powell in just a few minutes that he will give a readout on his conversations with those U.S. officials who met with the crewmembers. White House sources saying all indications are they are still in good health, that they are not being mistreated. Of course, the U.S. will continue to press its demand that they be released.

Now all this intense diplomacy raising the questions as to if and when this standoff might be over. Secretary Powell traveled to Capitol Hill last night, and several senators who met with him say they emerged from that meeting cautiously optimistic that all this would be over in just a few more days. However, they say General Powell -- Secretary Powell -- excuse me -- chose his words quite carefully because he understood he was in room with members of Congress, and there were couple of dozen of staff members on hand. They say it was quite clear Secretary Powell was very careful about what he said because it was apparent he did not want the details of the negotiations with the Chinese to leak out -- Stephen.

FRAZIER: John, in the briefing with Ari Fleischer, I'm curious whether anybody asked about Senator Lugar's comments yesterday where he really did rattle some sabers. Amid all of this talk of controlling and calibrating the speech from the White House and Congress, there was one speaker who was really raising the specter of some kind of recriminations against China. Was there any discussion of that before he went out before the cameras?

KING: There has been discussion about many comments made on Capitol Hill, and the president himself, of course, has on two occasions now raised the prospect of the potential of long-term damage to the relationship, although the president has been careful to say he hopes that does not happen. Now one of the other missions Secretary Powell had yesterday on Capitol Hill, we are told, is to urge the members to follow the administration's line and to not make any inflammatory statements over the next several days and, again, everyone seems to be indicating from these conversations the next several days the key to seeing whether there can be a diplomatic breakthrough here, whether that crew can be returned.

The administration says it understand the opinions and the anger being vented on Capitol Hill, and, certainly, this standoff, however it ends, is certain to fuel more debate in the Congress about what weapons should the United States sell to Taiwan, should the United States have a normal trading relationship with China. But the president's concern, we're told right now, end this standoff first, then address the questions about any long-term ramifications in the relationship.

FRAZIER: At the White House, John King. John, thank you.

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