Gazette can reveal.

For a trip to the capital of the one-time Soviet Union has been put off -- because of civil war in former Soviet Republics and the suspected terrorist bombing of a shopping mall in Moscow.

Dr. Brown confirmed: "We had planned a trip to Moscow next week but, given the war situation there, we changed our minds.'' The trip to Moscow was for talks with chiefs of the Russian national airline, Aeroflot, which has around 14 of its jets registered in Bermuda.

But now the visit by the `Soviet Onion' team -- which would have been the tail-end of the summer in Russia -- will be reshcheduled for a later date.

Dr. Brown admitted: "I don't find the prospect of a trip to Russia in the middle of winter very attractive.

MP puts off Russian trip "But, at the moment, it may be militarily warmer than we would like.'' But Transport Ministry Permanent Secretary Herman Tucker, who was also slated to travel to Moscow, said two technical staff from the Ministry would visit Moscow.

Mr. Tucker said the terms which allowed Aeroflot to register US-built Boeing 737-400s and 777s in Bermuda required regular inspections of aircraft and ground facilities to ensure compliance with the Island's strict safety standards.

And Mr. Tucker added that the Russian airborne invasion -- revealed in The Royal Gazette last year -- was set to be bolstered by new registrations.

He said: "They are planning to put more planes on our register. The trip was really an opportunity for the Minister to see, touch and feel what is going on in the Aircraft Registry.'' Mr. Tucker added: "I'm very disappointed. This would have been our first trip there, although the Russians have been here several times.

"We're required to meet with the Russians on a regular basis and we had a couple of inspections to do. But our technical people are still going.'' Aeroflot last May "landed'' the biggest single sign-up to the Bermuda Aircraft Registry -- worth around $400,000 a year to Government.

It was the first time Aeroflot had applied to carry Bermuda's unique VR-B mark on the tailplanes of its aircraft.

The move lifted the Bermuda Registry to a sky-high total of 126 planes -- a nine percent increase at a single stroke.

And then-Transport Minister Wayne Furbert said he was confident the Russians would register more of their 300-strong fleet in Bermuda as it moved to replace ageing ex-Soviet aircraft with modern models from the west.

The sale and lease deal for the aircraft was sealed in a unique Russia/US/ Bermuda link-up.

It is understood that Russia was keen to acquire hi-tech US planes -- but reluctant to register them there for reasons of national pride.

The US bank which brokered the deal, however -- aware of the Island's solid reputation -- suggested Bermuda as the legal home for the planes.

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