The US Defence Department is reported to be making preparations for the repatriation of the 24 aircrew from the spy plane stranded on Hainan Island in southern China. The crisis over the plane was finally resolved earlier today after the United States said it was very sorry for the incident, although it did not apologise formally.
In a brief statement in Washington, the US President, George W Bush, expressed sorrow for the Chinese pilot who was lost when his fighter collided with the US aircraft. Speaking at the White House, he said that the American ambassador had been told this morning that the crew would leave promptly. He said: "This has been a difficult situation for both our countries. I know the American people join me in expressing sorrow for the loss of life of a Chinese pilot. Our prayers are with his wife and his child." He stopped short of issuing a full apology, as requested by China.
This follows a new letter to the China in which the US expressed sincere regret over the loss. "As the US government has already said 'very sorry' to the Chinese people, the Chinese government has, out of humanitarian considerations, decided to allow the crew members to leave China after completing the necessary procedures," Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said. US Ambassador Joseph Prueher handed Tang a letter which said that President George W Bush and US Secretary of State Colin Powell had both expressed "sincere regret" for the intrusion of the spy plane into Chinese airspace and for the death of a Chinese pilot whose fighter collided with it.
