The embassy did not say which U.S. officials would be involved, or how many members of the crew would attend the meeting. Our request is for unfettered access to the crew on a daily basis and, in fact, twice a day. We're hopeful for that to take place today and every day following. Sealock's comments came after the U.S. stepped up its efforts to defuse the spy plane confrontation with China, offering more conciliatory words in an attempt to respond to China's demands for an apology. U.S. President George Bush has send a letter to the wife of Chinese fighter pilot Wang Wei, who has not been found since his jet and a U.S. spy plane collided off China's south coast a week ago.
China blames the U.S. for the collision, and has asked for a formal apology.
U.S. officials were not allowed to meet with crew members Sunday, and only met with eight members of the crew late Saturday. E-mails and some limited supplies were passed along to the crew over the weekend. The effort to gain the release of EP-3 spy plane and its crew continued on a number of fronts, but was moving at a slow pace. In Beijing, U.S. Ambassador to China Joseph Prueher said he would meet with Chinese officials Monday, but had not left the U.S. Embassy as of early afternoon. In Washington, work continued on drafting a letter to end the standoff, to be signed by Prueher and a counterpart Chinese official.