Friday, The Royal Gazette has learned.

If the US naval bases on the Island are to be closed in the near future, it will only come after top level discussions with NATO.

Fears that the St. David's base could be closed under the first wave of President Clinton's policies have been allayed by the US Navy.

A Pentagon spokesman said that overseas bases were not part of the current list of bases recommended for closure.

The Clinton Administration has set up an eight-member Presidential commission which will study recommendations from Defence Secretary Mr. Les Aspin.

President Bill Clinton wants $122 billion cut from the Defence Budget as the US reduces it forces whichwere designed for the Cold War.

It is estimated that at least 30 major installations will go, along with 150 smaller installations.

The Navy is set to take the brunt of the cuts with more than a third of its installations set to be axed.

The 600-ship Cold War fleet will be slimmed down to 320 ships and submarines, with fewer overheads. At present the US Navy costs $26 billion to run annually.

The Navy aims to create "megaports'' in Norfolk, Virginia and San Diego. The Norfolk port could be seen as a threat to the existence of the bases in Bermuda.

The Base was in the limelight a couple of months ago when it was described as a "Club Med'' by US TV show Prime Time Live.

But the spokeswoman, in Washington, said: "I have not heard anything specific about Bermuda but we are involved in the closures in the US at present.

"The Commission is concentrating on bases on the mainland which are the concerns of senators in those states where bases could be affected by the cuts.

"Foreign bases are closed on a rather more ad hoc basis. I have not heard that there will be a major review of foreign bases.

"If the Bermuda Naval Station is to close there will have to be NATO involvement. It will be a joint discussion before any decision is made.''