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US Offers New Talks over Spy Plane Bill
The United States has called for new talks with China following a row over Washington's refusal to meet China's US$1 million demand for costs incurred in relation to the downed US spy plane.
State Department spokesman Philip Reeker announced on Monday that US officials had been in contact with China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the issue. "We'll try to arrange a meeting in Beijing at which time we can provide our official response and the rationale for our calculation of those costs," he said.
Mr Reeker said the United States was only prepared to pay "tangible, reasonable costs" related to the recovery of the aircraft and some charges linked to housing 24 crew members for 11 days after the landing.
But he avoided publicly backing the words of Pentagon spokesman Rear-Admiral Craig Quigley on last Thursday who said the payment was "non-negotiable - that's the end of it".
Mr Reeker said the United States had not yet formally informed China of its decision.
Meanwhile, he said US experts would have talks in Beijing next week on possible violations of a Chinese pledge not to proliferate ballistic missiles.
The US inter-agency delegation, led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Vann Van Diepen, will meet their Chinese counterparts on August 23 and possibly August 24, he said.
He added: "The two sides will use these talks to discuss missile non-proliferation, including implementation of the November 2000 missile non-proliferation arrangement.
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