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CNN Live Sunday

U.S. Readies Team To Inspect Grounded Plane

Aired April 29, 2001 - 16:00   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: China's official government news agency says the United States will be allowed to inspect the Navy surveillance plane held on Hainan Island. A collision with a Chinese fighter jet forced the plane to make an emergency landing on April 1st; China detained the 24-member crew for 11 days before releasing them. We have two reports, beginning in Beijing with CNN's bureau chief there, Rebecca MacKinnon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): U.S. officials may soon be allowed to inspect the EP-3 surveillance plane on Hainan Island. News of the breakthrough came from China's official state-run news agency which gave no details of when U.S. officials will be able to travel to the Lingshui Air Base to see the plane, or when and whether the EP-3 may be returned.

The Chinese fighter pilot Wang Wei, killed when his jet collided with the EP-3, is considered a martyr here in China. Beijing insists the collision was caused by the U.S. plane. U.S. negotiaters left Beijing in frustration more than a week ago, after talks of the April 1st collision and the return of the EP-3 ended with little progress.

Beijing dismissed videotapes and other evidence presented by Washington meant to prove Wang Wei had a record of dangerous flying. Computer models played out the U.S. version of event. China's foreign ministry responded with its own video of what it said was dangerous flying by U.S. pilots, with computer graphics depicting Beijing's version of reality.

Now, the Chinese state media is reporting that the U.S. agreed to consider making a payment to China and that negotiations will be held to determine the amount of that payment and what it will cover. But Washington says the only thing it plans to pay for are the costs of bringing back the EP-3.

Rebecca MacKinnon, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KELLEY: The White House calls Beijing's announcement encouraging, even though a specific travel date is yet to be set. CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace joins us now with more -- Kelly. KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Donna, a Pentagon spokeswoman says that a small technical assessment team could depart as early as tomorrow for China, but again, as Rebecca noted, a couple of things still unclear, such as when U.S. officials will actually be able to inspect that plane and if China will agree to return it to the United States.

One thing, thought, the Bush administration is trying to make very clear, White House officials saying the United States will not be providing compensation to China in exchange for access to that American surveillance plane on Hainan Island.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Chinese have agreed we can send in a team to assess what will be required to recover the aircraft that is going to look at it and inspect it. Any payment would relate simply to the cost of actual recovery -- that is to say, if we have to barge in, get a crane in, whatever is required by way of actually bringing the airplane out, that's something we are prepared to pay for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Also unclear: just how much of plane sensitive information was destroyed by the crew and how much was not destroyed before the 24 crew members were forced to make an emergency landing on Hainan Island? Although Vice President Cheney did say today that he is confident the crew was able to destroy most of the "really sensitive stuff."

And then, really, the big question becomes exactly why the Chinese are making this offer now, especially after a week in which the president very much angered the Chinese by offering a large arms package to Taiwan and by becoming the first U.S. president to publicly say that the United States would defend Taiwan if it were attacked by Beijing.

One analyst we talked to offered an assessment. He said the Chinese may be extending this offer, in part to get a discussion going about future American surveillance flights near China. As we know, the U.S. has said it will continue these flights; the Chinese want to bring them to an end --Donna.

KELLEY: Kelly, international events to talk about certainly, but how about domestically over for next 100 days for the president. What does it look like?

WALLACE: What will be interesting is, we will have to see this president negotiate a bit more when it comes to his domestic agenda. He has been very criticized by Democratic lawmakers who accuse him of taking the, "it's my way or the highway" approach, when it comes to his domestic priorities.

Well, his White house aides say the president reaching out to Democrats and that he is willing to negotiate, but that he's waiting for the right time to make those compromises. We will have to see the president, though, make some compromises over the next 100 days when it comes to his tax cut and when it comes to his education reform plan.

So, likely to see the president have to decide which compromises to make and when to make them to get his agenda passed -- Donna.

KELLEY: At the White House, our Kelly Wallace; thank you.

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