Politicians don’t come much more influential or high-profile than Condoleezza Rice - but yesterday the US Secretary of State took time out of a frantic schedule to meet with Bermuda’s leaders.

Premier Ewart Brown and Deputy Premier Paula Cox were granted a brief audience with Dr. Rice at the State Department in Washington, DC at 9.30 a.m., along with US Consul General Gregory Slayton.

The five-minute chat in Dr. Rice’s conference room - during which she was invited to the Island to witness firsthand its resurging tourism industry - was orchestrated by Mr. Slayton, who has known the powerhouse politician for years. The visit to the State Department was the high point of a two-day bilateral trip to the American capital, described by Dr. Brown last night as “marvellous”.

He said meeting Dr. Rice was a huge honour for him and showed the high esteem in which Bermuda was held Stateside. “I thought she was very warm and gracious,” he told The Royal Gazette. “It was brief, just a photo opportunity and a brief conversation. We talked about tourism and hotel development. She wanted to talk about that.”

e said Dr. Rice - twice voted the most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine and fourth in the presidential succession line - told the delegation that if the Island had any pressing issues she was available through her staff to help.

“She also promised that when she gets a moment she will come to Bermuda,” added Dr. Brown.

Mr. Slayton said: “I have a lot of friends in this administration and I have known the Secretary for many years.

“From the US Government perspective it was a positive meeting. Condi talked about the importance of the rule of law and the integrity of governments, how pleased she was to see things going well in Bermuda and how much she’d like to come and visit.”

He said getting the chance to have a sit-down chat with President George Bush’s right-hand woman was crucial to forging strong diplomatic links between Bermuda and the US.

“You can’t look at this as a one-off,” he said. “God willing, we’ll be back again next year. Condi knows she’s welcome in Bermuda.”

Although the meeting with Dr. Rice was just moments long and only touched on key issues, other talks with legislators on Capitol Hill were described by Dr. Brown and his team as substantial and successful.

The trip saw the delegation - which included Cabinet Secretary Marc Telemaque, Finance Secretary Donald Scott and the Premier’s Press Secretary Glenn Jones - sit down with a dozen politicians, many of whom hold influential positions on Congress committees.

Time was of the essence as the party dashed from House of Representative offices to Senate buildings, along with lobbyists who work on behalf of Government in DC.

Bermuda’s importance in the world economy because of the prevalence of insurance and reinsurance businesses on the Island was a recurring topic - and many of the meetings were with members of the powerful financial House Ways and Means Committee, including its chairman Charles Rangel.

The Democratic congressman reassured the delegation that Bermuda should not be affected by tough new legislation aimed at offshore tax havens and raised the possibility of the US finally cleaning up the naval baselands if a Democrat gets into the White House in 2008.

This year’s itinerary did not include a trip to the President’s official residence on Pennsylvania Avenue, unlike when former Premier Alex Scott led the first Progressive Labour Party Government delegation to DC last year.

But relations were forged with one presidential hopeful - Republican Senator Sam Brownback - and The Royal Gazette understands that it is likely a third bilateral visit in 2008 could take in the White House.

Dr. Brown, who returned to the Island last night, said he was satisfied with what had been achieved in little over 24 hours.

“This was a very specific mission and everything we have done here was aimed at improving the relationship between Bermuda and Washington, Bermuda and the US,” he said.

“There’s no doubt that this trip could have gone any number of ways but it’s just been so delightfully positive. The mention of Bermuda has provoked a positive response wherever we have gone. I think it’s just been a wonderfully productive trip; hectic but definitely worthwhile.”

Asked how he would respond to potential criticism of the trip as a costly waste of time, he said: “Only the uninitiated and the uninformed would comment like that.

“It’s universally accepted that one must make friends before one needs them and so it makes sense that we establish relationships.”

Mr. Slayton agreed. He said that when he arrived in Bermuda in 2005 he found that its relationship with the US had “drifted apart, probably through benign neglect on both sides”.

He added: “My long term goal here is that this happens every year. I think that’s important.”

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