orderly transfer of vital operations in the event the Naval Air Station closes down, Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan said.

In the wake of his two-day visit to Washington, the Premier said efforts would be made to ease the impact of any Base closure or winding down.

He said he particularly wanted some sort of period of grace whereby US technicians and officials could pass on their training to Bermudians. The arrangement could cover such things as Airport operations, particularly air traffic control.

The Premier's statements followed US General Colin Powell's no-guarantees assessment of the future of the east end Base.

On Thursday, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the US budgetary process, in which military cutbacks feature strongly in the overall deficit-reduction plan, offered no safeguards for the Base.

He also said there was no legitimate military reason for the Naval Air Station's continuing existence.

Although no final decisions have been made, General Powell's words were the clearest indication yet that the Base's future is on the line.

The Premier's visit this week with US President Bill Clinton and his talks with Washington insiders set the stage for direct Bermuda discussions on the Base's future.

That future has been increasingly in doubt since last December when ABC newsman Sam Donaldson aired a television report that portrayed the Base as militarily insignificant and a navy "Club Med'' where fiscal improprieties occurred.

It was followed almost immediately by Congresswoman Pat Schroeder's call for an investigation into the Base's usefulness.

A report early this year by the Department of Defence's Director-General concluded that the navy start a drawdown of its operations and personnel at the Base "with the goal of complete withdrawal no later than the end of the fiscal year 1995, earlier if possible.'' Although Bermuda's plan to deal with Base closure is still being put together, the Premier yesterday said he was aiming at the very least to get the Base to remain long enough to enable Bermudians to take over operations at the US-operated Airport.

FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES -- Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan relaxes with General Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Their Thursday meeting at the General's Pentagon office saw General Powell provide a "no-guarantees'' warning about the future of the US Naval Air Station. US TALKS -- British Ambassador to the United States, Sir Robin Renwick, bids farewell to Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan after their talks on Wednesday at the British Embassy in Washington.