diplomatic efforts to delay closure of the US Base.

The Premier will meet with key Congressmen today and tomorrow in what amounts to an exercise reminding them of their pledges to save the US Naval Air Station from abrupt closure.

The meetings take place as Senators and Congressmen are about to meet in conference to determine 1994 defence spending measures, one of which contains a clause to close the Bermuda base within 90 days of passage.

Highest on Sir John's list is an appointment with Congressman Mr. Ron Dellums, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, who has pledged to kill the clause.

He will also meet with backer Mr. Robert Torricelli, chairman of the Western Hemisphere subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Senator Dennis DeConcini, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

"I approach these talks with a mixture of cautious optimism and confidence and appreciate the opportunity which the Bermuda Government is being given to make its case,'' the Premier said in a prepared statement.

"There is no reason why this issue cannot be resolved in the best interests of the United States Government and the Government and the people of Bermuda.'' A staff member of the House Armed Services Committee yesterday indicated that Bermuda should at least survive the Defence Bill debate that will include a decision on the 90-day withdrawal provision.

"I would be shocked beyond words if Bermuda was left high and dry,'' Mrs.

Alma Moore said.

However, Mrs. Moore said Congressmen generally were not inclined toward keeping overseas bases open when dozens of bases in their own districts were being shut down to save money.

She described the impact of the domestic base closures as catastrophic. Mrs.

Moore said the clause to close the base within 90 days was a cost-saving measure that emerged from the Armed Services' Operations and Management subcommittee, and not from Congresswoman Pat Schroeder as has been widely reported.

But she did say the amendment was drafted after ABC's Primetime Live programme in December, when newsman Sam Donaldson portrayed the base as the Navy's Club Med.

"A lot of members who saw the programme came to similar conclusions,'' she said.

Investigations by the British Embassy in Washington after the 90-day amendment emerged found that many of the Congressmen who went along with it had little understanding of the peculiar ramifications closure would have for Bermuda.

Under the terms of the US-UK Bases agreement, the Navy operates Bermuda's airport as well as other emergency services such as fire and search and rescue.

"As a result of my earlier visits to Washington, I am confident that those at the highest levels of the Clinton Administration are much more knowledgeable about the relationship between Bermuda and the US Bases,'' he said in his statement.

Sir John has said he does not take issue with the US determination to close the base. In June, he was told by General Colin Powell, who was then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that the Base no longer served a military purpose.

"My talk in Washington will be aimed at persuading the US Government and the Congress to allow the Island sufficient time within which to take over those responsibilities now executed by US Navy personnel.'' Sir John wants a five-year transition to allow Bermuda time to train its own people to take over airport and emergency operations.

But his immediate challenge will be to head off passage of the 90-day withdrawal provision by the Senate/House Conference. That session, which tries to rationalise House and Senate defence spending plans into one Defence Bill for 1994, could begin as early as next week.

And it is during that session, which could last well into November, that the Premier must have his allies prepared to defeat the measure.