Commanding Officer of the US Naval Air Station, Opposition Leader Mr.

Frederick Wade said yesterday.

Capt. Tim Bryan was "new here, and I was abroad when he was first sworn in,'' Mr. Wade said at a news conference. "We've agreed to have a meeting tomorrow morning just to get to know each other and to find out just where things are.'' The PLP's policy on the US bases in Bermuda remained the same, Mr. Wade said.

Government could try to dissuade the Americans from leaving or delay their departure, but "we should be preparing Bermuda for the eventual closure of the bases'', he said.

Mr. Wade welcomed this week's trip to Belgium by the Premier to meet with leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation about the bases.

The PLP leader said he was pleased the Hon. Sir John Swan was travelling with a delegation.

Also: "I've said in the past that it was a possibility with our base that it become a NATO base.'' Iceland had a NATO base and was probably better off than if it had an American, British, or other foreign base, he said.

NATO's role was diminishing, but "there is nothing wrong with at least trying'', Mr. Wade said.