Sino-U.S. talks 'productive'

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, APRIL 19. The United States and China appear to be making some headway in the talks in Beijing. After a dismal start on Wednesday, the United States is now saying that the second round of negotiations for the return of the EP-3E surveillance plane and other related issues was ``very productive''.

According to the top U.S. negotiator, China had apparently allowed a discussion on the Bush administration's demand for the return of the EP-3E plane which is now sitting at a military base in the Hainan Island. The breakthrough came after the U.S. Ambassador in Beijing, Mr. Jospeh Prueher, met with senior officials at China's Foreign Ministry.

``We covered all the items on the agenda and I found today's session to be very productive,'' the Acting Defence Under- Secretary for Policy, Mr. Peter Verga, told the media in Beijing. The second round of talks lasted about two hours it is said. China has said that the officials of the two countries have agreed to continue discussions, stay in touch and finalise future meetings ``through diplomatic channels.''

The latest characterisation of the talks by the U.S. appears to be a step in the right direction for, a total breakdown of talks in Beijing would have dealt a blow to bilateral relations already considerably strained in the last three weeks or so. On Wednesday, both sides stuck to their positions with neither showing any inclination of backing away from the their demands.

Beijing flatly rejects the American version of the sequence of events leading to the April 1 collision over the South China Sea; and has demanded that the U.S. stop surveillance flights or move farther away from the coast of China. Washington has been adamant that its flights will continue as they take place in international airspace and over international waters.

Next week will be critical in the sense that two things will take place in Washington. In the first place Congress is returning from the Easter Recess. And Secondly, the President, Mr. George W. Bush, will be making his decision on the Taiwan arms package.

The sentiment in Congress is running high against China even though lawmakers showed some restraint during the 11- day standoff over the release of the 24 person crew of the EP- 3E. Now the rhetoric is sharpening with lawmakers calling for action against China on the trade front and increasingly making the point that the Bush administration should oppose China's bid to host the Olympics of 2008.

What is going to happen on Capitol Hill starting next week is only one side of the story for, a lot of attention is going to be on the White House as well. The President's National Security Team has apparently advised against selling Aegis Class destroyers to Taiwan; and have argued that Washington go through with other sophisticated items that have been asked for. Hardliners in the Republican Party have been calling on the President to give Taiwan what it has asked.

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