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American Morning

U.S./China Relations: Impossible for Spy Plane to Fly Home on Its Own

Aired May 08, 2001 - 09:10   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: We're going to turn now to U.S./China relations. Beijing is now saying that it's impossible for the U.S. Navy spy plane to be flown home on its own.

For the latest, let's bring in our CNN military affairs correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, at the Pentagon. Jamie, that's what Beijing says, but what about the U.S.?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN MILITARY AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Pentagon is not overreacting to the public statements by Beijing.

Officials here still insist that the easiest, fastest, cheapest way to get the plane back and put this episode behind both the United States and China is for the plane to be repaired and flown out, and officials here still say they are working quietly behind the scenes to try to make that happen.

Privately, they express hope that they still will be able to arrange a deal for the plane to be repaired. A Pentagon assessment team of civilians has estimated that it will take a working crew of about a dozen people 10 days to two weeks of full working days in order to repair the plane and put it in flyable condition.

The U.S. is, again, still insisting that, quietly, they believe they'll be able to work out something in the coming days. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said over the weekend that he believed the Chinese would eventually return the plane. He said otherwise they would not have allowed the inspection in the first place -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jamie, any other word about the cost that might be involved here? The Chinese had made a big deal that they were getting paid for this, and the U.S. was -- has been saying this was just any cost that would be involved in removing the plane. Any other word on what that most cost?

MCINTYRE: Well, we haven't got any sort of cost estimate, but the U.S. has been insistent that it will only pay costs that are reasonably associated with what's needed to repair the plane, and they're not going to pay any reparations to the Chinese government.

KAGAN: Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon. Jamie, thank you.

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