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American Morning

China Agrees to Release American Detainees

Aired April 11, 2001 - 11:36   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: Joining us from the State Department with the latest is CNN national security correspondent David Ensor.

David, after more than about a week and a half, how did things finally work out here?

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the view here is that the Chinese could have had the deal that they have now accepted several days ago. Officials here say that the language of the letter that Admiral Prueher, the U.S. ambassador, signed today -- that is being announced, has broken the logjam -- is the exact same language that was being offered to the Chinese some days ago. It apparently took the Chinese some time to confer among themselves and to decide what to do in response. They have now responded positively.

So they are pleased here at the State Department, and they expect the crew members to be released promptly. By "promptly," they mean within the next 24 hours. They say they don't think the Chinese will create any obstacles to that, that the Chinese may also now want to see the crew members leave. As long as there are no logistical or weather problems, that should go ahead, it's believed here, quite smoothly.

Officials say they believe the turning point really in this came with a letter that Secretary of State Colin Powell wrote to the Chinese over the weekend, in which he laid out a road map for a solution to this. Now, of course, part of that road map is the April 18th meeting that the letter refers to between the U.S. and Chinese. We haven't heard yet at what level or where that meeting will take place. But there the two sides will discuss who is to blame for the accident, how can we prevent future accidents, and make arrangements, hopefully, for the return of the damaged surveillance aircraft.

We are hearing that that aircraft will indeed be returned to the United States. But the logistics of that have yet to be formally announced, also -- Daryn.

KAGAN: So, David, what is it exactly that the Americans end up giving up in order to get the 24 crew members back? Is it the expression of "sorry" in terms that the Chinese were willing to accept?

ENSOR: Well, the letter is being described here at the State Department as the "two very sorrys" letter -- the United States saying twice that it's very sorry about what's happened. First, it's very sorry at the apparent loss of life of a pilot and a plane, and second, that it's very sorry that the U.S. surveillance plane had to enter the Chinese airspace and land without having gotten verbal permission.

However, officials here point out, they stress, even, that the letter in nowhere admits fault. Nowhere admits any kind of guilt on the part of the United States in this matter, and they think that's appropriate. They don't think there was any blame to be assigned to the U.S. side -- Daryn.

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

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