Bush reaction: 'That's good news'

Bush discusses the China situation with National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday

From Major Garrett
CNN Washington Bureau

GREENVILLE, North Carolina (CNN) -- President Bush's demeanor never changed throughout the China standoff -- even as he learned of the release of the 24-member crew, a senior adviser said.

"He took the news much as he reacted throughout this," said a senior administration official who briefed reporters after the president's education event in Concord, North Carolina. "He was very even-tempered and said, 'That's good news.' He asked some questions about the logistics. But we didn't feel it was ever a crisis atmosphere. We did not conduct round-the-clock crisis meetings."

VIDEO Pentagon Spokesman Rear Adm. Craig Quigley speaks on the return of the U.S. aircrew from China Video: Play Part 1 | Play Part 2 (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   ALSO Text of Bush's remarks Overnight calls brought word of release deal    IN-DEPTH U.S.-China Collision: A diplomatic solution  • About freighter returning EP-3  • Look: Inside the EP-3  • Facts about the EP-3  • Map: Locating the incident  • Big picture: High stakes  • Classroom discussion guide  • Historical US-China timeline  • Whidbey arrival images  • Crew speaks out  • Crew's return images

Bush learned the spy plane crew had left China as he returned to Washington aboard Air Force One, according to an official.

When it was announced on CNN that the plane took off, he turned to National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and said, "You did a fine job. Congratulations. Our team didn't turn the first incident into a crisis."

The unnamed senior adviser also said Bush's next priority is to secure the crippled EP-3E surveillance plane. The adviser said the plane will not be released until both governments convene April 18 to discuss the facts of how the collision occurred and allow the Chinese to raise the question of future U.S. surveillance flights near China's coastline.

The official said the U.S. views the main purpose of the meeting as being to secure return of the plane and its surveillance equipment.

The official deflected questions about U.S. reparations, saying key issues discussed between the two countries were addressed in a letter from U.S. Ambassador Joseph Prueher. The official also said the White House always believed the standoff would be resolved, it was only a matter of the Chinese finding satisfaction in U.S. expressions of regret and sorrow about the loss of the Chinese fighter pilot, Wang Wei, and the U.S. plane's use of Chinese airspace to make an emergency landing.

The official said several versions of the Prueher letter were exchanged before the final language was agreed upon. The official said the negotiations went "up and down" and the fluctuations were more pronounced in the last couple of days. The official said the letter "met both sides' concerns."

The administration would not comment on Chinese translations of the U.S. expressions of regret, the official said. The letter clearly shows the U.S. did not apologize for undertaking the flight or the collision that set the standoff in motion, the aide said.

The official said the Chinese could raise "any issue" at the April 18 meeting, but said the letter's acknowledgment that China would raise future U.S. surveillance flights in no way suggested any reassessment of the need for U.S. surveillance flights along China's coast.

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Government Information Office, Republic of China

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