US Under-secretary of State Thomas Pickering told the Chinese that an intensive investigation into the May 7 bombing had been unable to pin the blame on any one person or group but offered compensation to the families of the three killed and 20 injured in the incident. The overall conclusions come as little surprise as the main facts have long filtered out from official and unofficial sources. However, the 14-page document, the text of Pickering's June 17 oral presentation to Chinese officials in Beijing, goes further in some areas than previous reports and also shows the extent of US and NATO concerns over speculation that the attack was intentional.

Nearly two pages are devoted to explaining how the bombing of the embassy could not have been in either Washington orNATO's interests and remonstrates the Chinese for advancing them. Pickering has said an internal review of the procedures would continue and the Clinton administration would then decide whether disciplinary action is needed. China has demanded the US punish those responsible for the error.

Pickering dismissed the theory that the bombing was the work of ``rogue elements'' opposed to China inside the US government.``The errors we have identified...took place in three different areas. It is just not conceivable, given the circumstances, that the attack could have been brought about by a conspiracy or `rogue elements','' he said.

-- Agencies