DATE=11/18/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=EGYPTAIR / MEDIA SPECULATION (L ONLY)
NUMBER=256336
BYLINE=KYLE KING
DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT
CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  The U-S State Department is appealing for an 
end to premature speculation about the crash of Egypt 
Air flight 990.  As VOA's Kyle King reports, officials 
are concerned about possible damage to U-S Egyptian 
relations.


TEXT:  U-S officials say it is still too early to make 
a judgement about the cause of last week's crash, 
which killed all 217 people on board the Boeing 767.

Many Egyptians have responded with anger to U-S news 
reports suggesting the co-pilot of the plane may have 
deliberately sabotaged the flight.

State Department spokesman James Rubin expressed 
concern about the speculation, which has been based on 
preliminary transcripts of the plane's cockpit voice 
recorder.

            /// Rubin Act ///

      We are concerned and troubled by speculative 
      conclusions coming out of those in the United 
      States involved in this general investigation 
      and we are doubly troubled and concerned by wild 
      conspiracy theories coming out in the Arab 
      media.


            /// end act ///

Some Egyptian media have suggested that the co-pilot 
of the plane is being blamed to cover up some other 
cause.

Mr. Rubin said the Arab media reports are being fueled 
by what he termed the tremendous amount of speculation 
in the U-S media, and he appealed for calm on all 
sides.

U-S officials stress cooperation between U-S and 
Egyptian authorities has been good.  Assistant U-S 
Secretary of State Thomas Pickering was scheduled to 
meet late Thursday with Senior Egyptian security 
officials to discuss the probe.

U-S officials, who are leading the air crash 
investigation, say they have not ruled out any 
possible cause.  They say they are prepared to pursue 
all leads in the case, no matter where they go. 
(Signed)



NEB/KBK/PT



18-Nov-1999 15:32 PM EDT (18-Nov-1999 2032 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.