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American Morning

Chinese Officials Reiterate Demands for Apology

Aired April 10, 2001 - 10:06   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now, we want to bring our viewers the latest on the diplomatic stalemate in China. Just about two hours ago, U.S. diplomats were allowed to meet with the crew members of the detained American surveillance plane. It was the fifth such meeting since the plane's emergency landing on April 1st.

Meanwhile, China is holding firm that the U.S. apologize for the collision that downed a Chinese fighter jet and left its pilot missing and presumed dead. The Bush administration is drafting a fourth lighter designed to end the stalemate. Beijing has rejected the three prior attempts.

We're going to start with the newest details on the collision that downed a Chinese fighter jet and plunged an American surveillance plane and its crew into a diplomatic stand-off. Our Patty Davis joining us from the Pentagon with the latest -- Patty, good morning.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

A senior Pentagon official tells CNN that the Chinese F-8 fighter jet made three passes by the U.S. EP-3 before that collision. That U.S. plane was on auto pilot, according to Pentagon officials, at the time of the collision. Now, the Chinese fighter jet made two passes by the EP-3 prior to the collision. Each of those two were at 45 degree angles from the back of the EP-3, some, we're told, three to five feet from the U.S. aircraft.

The collision occurred on the third pass by that Chinese jet, the tail section of the Chinese jet colliding with the left propeller of the EP-3, the crew giving indications that on that third pass they realized that this Chinese jet was coming in much too fast and that's when the collision occurred.

Now, the collision knocked the U.S. plane off of auto pilot. There was extensive damage, you know, the damage to the plane, including the propeller, the engines, the wing flaps, the elevator, which controls up and down, also was jammed. The plane plunged some 5,000 to 8,000 feet before the pilot was able to get it under control.

Now, this latest information contradicts what the surviving Chinese pilot says and he says that the EP-3 was the one that swerved into the path of that F-8 Chinese fighter jet causing the crash -- Daryn? KAGAN: Patty, I know we were saying the source is a senior Pentagon official, but what are they basing this on? Is it on the limited contact diplomatic officials have had with the crew on Hainan Island?

DAVIS: Yes, that and other intelligence sources coming from the Pentagon official.

KAGAN: All right, Patty Davis at the Pentagon, thank you.

Now we want to get the view from Hainan Island, where the plane and the crew are still being detained. That's where we find our Lisa Rose Weaver joining us through video phone -- Lisa, hello.

LISA ROSE WEAVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

The U.S. officials have managed to have their fifth meeting a few hours ago with detained Americans. They've been in Chinese custody for more than a week.

Like the last time they met, they were able to do so with not as much bureaucracy. They did not have to, of course, sit down with Chinese officials before then meeting the Americans. They went straight to the place in Haikou, the provincial capital city, where the Americans are being held. That's at a military facility here in Haikou.

We all have also learned there were no Chinese officials in the room with them so that the request made by the head of this American delegation, Brigadier General Neal Sealock a couple of days ago for unfettered access has been partially met. He asked then for the ability to meet with them more easily. That part seems to be happening. He also asked for twice daily visits. That has not happened yet.

Now, General Sealock reports to us that the physical and mental condition of the crew continues to be very, very good. They are, they're eating fine. They're getting English language newspapers. They're able to exercise inside the compound where they're being held. Perhaps most important for their morale, they're getting e-mail messages, printed copies of e-mail messages from friends and family at home. That is a one way communication. They're not able to write back.

General Sealock emphasized that they, that the crew members are ready to go home and that the United States is ready to now take them -- Daryn?

KAGAN: Lisa Rose Weaver from Hainan Island, China, thank you very much.

Now, meanwhile, President Bush has been urging public patience. Still, there is more evidence of public anger that is bubbling to the surface. Protesters, many of whom were boasting of their Chinese ancestry, took to the streets of San Francisco yesterday outside the Chinese consulate. They demanded that Beijing release the American crew members and called the current situation a kidnapping. The Bush administration has steered clear of that word, along with the term prisoners and hostages.

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