-Caveat Lector-
"The Russian envoy is trying to persuade China not to block the U.N.
Security Council "peace process" ...
"Chernomyrdin of Russia and Jiang of China agreed that the bombing in
Yugoslavia must stop before peace talks can be held.
"China canceled Defense Secretary William Cohen's trip to China next
month."
US Envoy Fears More China Protests
By CHARLES HUTZLER
.c The Associated Press
BEIJING (AP) -- Protests against NATO's bombing of the Chinese Embassy in
Yugoslavia ebbed Tuesday, with state television for the first time airing
U.S. and NATO apologies for the attack. But the U.S. ambassador warned that
the return to Beijing of the remains of three Chinese killed in the attack
could touch off more unrest.
A special plane bearing the ashes of the three journalists was due in the
capital Wednesday morning. A planned live television broadcast of the arrival
was expected to heighten emotions over the bombing, which also wounded 20
embassy staff members.
``Tomorrow is a critical day,'' U.S. Ambassador James Sasser said in a
telephone interview from inside the paint-spattered embassy, where he
remained holed up for a fourth day.
Protesters hurled bits of concrete and shouted anti-American slogans as they
passed by the battered embassy Tuesday, but their numbers were in the
hundreds, not the thousands who menacingly streamed by the previous three
days. Police controlled access to the marked-off, seven-block protest route,
turning some away and asking others to discard the projectiles they carried.
After nightfall, police closed the protest route. Frustrated Chinese pushed
against the police line but dispersed after a scuffle and the apparent arrest
of one demonstrator.
Although Sasser called the new controls ``an enormous improvement,'' he was
staying put. Violence persisted and police had refused to allow back into the
embassy staff members who left, he said. ``So you run the risk once you leave
of not being able to get back in.''
Angered by Friday's bombing of a symbolic piece of China's territory, Chinese
have protested in 20 cities nationwide in the largest demonstrations since
the Communist Party used the military to crush the Tiananmen Square democracy
movement 10 years ago. Protesters have thrown gas and stink bombs at the U.S.
Embassy and set fire to the U.S. consul's residence in Chengdu.
Chinese leaders have refused to condemn the violence, abetted by party-run
organizations and slanted coverage in the exclusively state-controlled media.
In his first direct comments on the protests, President Jiang Zemin called
NATO's bombing ``a provocation to 1.2 billion Chinese people.''
``The Chinese people have used protests, meetings, statements and all sorts
of methods to express their utmost indignation. It shows the fervor, will and
strength of the great patriotic spirit of the Chinese people,'' state media
quoted Jiang as telling Russian envoy Viktor Chernomyrdin, who was in the
Chinese capital for talks on the Kosovo crisis.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao repeated assurances that embassies and
diplomatic personnel would be protected. He called the protests lawful and
did not condemn outright the rock-throwing or arson.
``If those overreactions were seen to be supported by the Chinese government
that is a misunderstanding,'' Zhu said, without being more specific.
State media carried reports of President Clinton's Monday apology and
reported that Secretary of State Madeleine Albright went to the Chinese
Embassy in Washington on Saturday to apologize and promise a full accounting.
Midday TV news carried footage of Clinton saying he had apologized to Jiang,
and NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana was shown expressing his regrets.
The absence of reports on the apologies had helped inflame protesters, who
called the attack intentional. Tuesday's coverage did not mitigate official
outrage. The official Xinhua News Agency reported late Tuesday that the words
of regret ``were not the open and just apology demanded by the Chinese
government.''
While noting the apology, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu said China was
waiting for more and reiterated demands for a complete investigation and
criminal punishment of those responsible. He dismissed NATO explanations that
the bombing resulted from misinformation by CIA target planners.
``How could the joint intelligence source of the most powerful military
alliance in the world mistakenly identify the location of a large diplomatic
mission with a big courtyard, a plate on the front door and flying the
national flag?'' Zhu told reporters at a routine briefing.
Jiang met with Chernomyrdin, the Russian envoy, who is trying to persuade
China not to block a U.N. Security Council resolution that Russia and the
seven major industrialized powers agreed to last week.
Later, Chernomyrdin told reporters that he and Jiang had agreed the bombing
in Yugoslavia must stop before peace talks can be held. But he also said it
was necessary to go ahead with the G-8 plan to withdraw Yugoslav forces from
Kosovo and deploy an international security force.
On the heels of suspending military, arms control and human rights contacts
with the United States, China canceled a planned visit next week by Gen.
Charles Krulak, commandant of the Marine Corps, U.S. defense officials said.
They added that Defense Secretary William Cohen's planned trip to China in
June now appears unlikely.
Ambassador Sasser said ``one of the great tragedies'' of the embassy bombing
was the harm it did to U.S.-China relations so soon after Premier Zhu
Rongji's visit to the United States last month.
Sasser hoped that ``once everyone has vented their feeling of anger and
frustration that wiser heads will prevail and we'll move back in the
direction of trying to establish a productive and stable relationship between
our two countries.''
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic
screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters
and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright
frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects
spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL
gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers;
be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and
nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
