By Charles Hutzler AP Writer 

Wednesday May 12, 1999 6:57 am edt

BEIJING (AP) - A relieved Ambassador James Sasser left the glass-strewn U.S. Embassy this morning as days of anti-American protests ended, and Chinese citizens wept as the remains of three journalists killed in the NATO bombing in Belgrade were brought home. 

Escorted by several embassy staff members, Sasser walked across the debris-covered embassy driveway and through the compound's gates for the first time since protests began Saturday. 

``It's terrific to be outside,'' said Sasser, his relief tempered by ``great sadness'' about the deaths in the bombing of the Chinese embassy in the Yugoslav capital. 

``I think we need to give our Chinese friends a day of grief, and then we can move on and discuss with them how to mend this situation,'' Sasser said. 

While leaving the embassy, Sasser walked past a wreath of paper flowers - a traditional symbol of mourning - and piles of rocks and plastic bottles left by protesters. Red and blue paint spattered the front of the embassy, its broken windows boarded up. The bent, paint-bombed eagle-emblazoned national emblem was gone from the gate, removed by embassy workers. 

His departure was unexpected. On Tuesday, hundreds of protesters hurled concrete chunks and abuse at the embassy for a fourth day in a row. Sasser said in an interview Tuesday night he was staying put and warned that the return to Beijing of the bombing victims' remains could touch off more unrest. 

But streets around the embassy district were quiet today. Police checked identity papers and turned people away from the entrance to seven-block protest route that snaked past the U.S. and British embassies. 

Hundreds of Chinese lined streets from the airport today to watch a motorcade of buses, ambulances and cars carrying the remains of the three journalists killed and the more than 20 embassy employees wounded in Friday's bombing in Belgrade. 

Chinese officials have hailed the dead as martyrs and heroes. Relatives and others cried as family members of the dead walked onto a red carpet at the airport tarmac in a solemn procession with Chinese soldiers. 

The relatives carried three large photographs of the dead decorated with black ribbons. The father who lost both his daughter and son-in-law in the attack carried two boxes of remains. 

Vice President Hu Jintao - and 1,000 invited school children, workers and soldiers - greeted the relatives and the wounded diplomats in a ceremony broadcast live on television. Hu also held the bandaged hand of a man lying on a hospital gurney, his head and eyes covered by gauze. 

``I want to express sincere sympathy on behalf of the central authorities,'' state television showed Hu saying. 

Friday's bombing killed Shao Yunhuan, 48, of the official Xinhua News Agency, and Xu Xinghu, 31, and his wife, Zhu Ying, 27, both of the Guangming Daily, a national newspaper. 

Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Hu and four other members of the senior Communist leadership went first to Xinhua and then to Guangming Daily to pay their respects. They bowed three times before portraits of the dead journalists and conveyed condolences to their families, state media reported. 

Flags on government buildings and in Beijing's central Tiananmen Square were lowered to half-staff, as were the American flags at the U.S. Embassy and consulates and the national flags of other diplomatic missions throughout China. 

Military police ringed the German Embassy. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder arrived earlier today for a one-day trip aimed at urging China to support a peace plan for Yugoslavia despite the bombing of its embassy. 

Protests, at their most virulent on Sunday, dwindled Tuesday. 

A few people continued to express outrage at the attack, but said they would await the U.S. and NATO response to China's demands for an investigation and punishment of those responsible. 

``The United States has no right to be the international policeman,'' said Wang Wei, a university student who had protested earlier. 

Angered by Friday's bombing, Chinese have protested in 20 cities in the largest demonstrations since the Tiananmen Square democracy protests 10 years ago. Protesters have thrown gas and stink bombs at the U.S. Embassy and set fire to the U.S. consul's residence in Chengdu. 

``I have no feelings of anger at all,'' Sasser said. ``Many of us who were here and who talked to our Chinese friends can understand their feelings of anguish and grief and for some a feeling of rage that this occurred. It was indeed a terrible, terrible tragic mistake.'' 

Sasser underscored U.S. intentions to pursue better relations - despite China's decision to roll back some hard-won gains. To protest the bombing, China suspended contacts with the United States on military relations, human rights arms control and other security issues. 

Chinese leaders have refused to condemn the protests, which were abetted by party-run organizations and biased coverage in the state-controlled media. 

Reports of U.S. and NATO apologies, some of which were made shortly after the bombing, first appeared in the Chinese media on Tuesday. 

National newspapers reported today that Chinese found the words of regret ``were not the open and just apology demanded by the Chinese government.''