The curtain came down on Bermuda?s whirlwind tour of Washington last night, after the Government delegation thrashed out policy ideas with two front-runners in the race to be next US President.

At about the same time Premier Alex Scott stepped into the historic office of Senate Leader Bill Frist, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld departed following a national security briefing ? flanked by a posse of stern-faced senior military officials and Secret Service agents.

Less than an hour after discussing how to strengthen drug enforcement ties between the two countries with Senator Frist, the fourth most powerful politician in the States, Mr. Scott and team crossed the Senate building to meet John McCain.

The experienced campaigner, ex-Navy man and regular visitor to Bermuda is also among the political high-flyers pundits tip to succeed George W. Bush, should Republicans secure a third White House triumph.

The delegation had already met Senator George Allen, another potential future President, and House Speaker Dennis Hastert, third in line for White House succession, on Wednesday.

At the end of the heavyweight talks, the Premier said the last two days had been one of the highlights of his political career.

He said he was sorry Bermudians could not have been around the table with his team to hear what respect the US had for the country.

?This is real business, real progress,? he added, dismissing suggestions some might say the trip was a high-profile talking-shop.

And US Consul General Gregory Slayton, the man who used his Capitol Hill contact book to open doors in DC, said the small island got incredible access to Washington powerbrokers.

He told The Royal Gazette: ?Most heads of states of smaller nations get a 30 second photo opportunity.

?We are sitting down and having substantial discussions on real issues which is extraordinary, and extraordinarily productive.? He added: ?You can?t criticise this. For ten years both Governments, frankly, did not speak to each other too much. We now have excellent relations and respect ? that?s how good laws are passed.?

Mr. Scott, speaking after the meeting with Senator Frist, stated: ?You do not get much more political firepower than that.?

Referring to the Rumsfeld sighting, the Premier said he got ?bumped by a few generals? on his way into his office.

Mr. Scott said recurring topics of the tour ? like the stop list banning minor offenders from the US, the insurance and reinsurance boom and a possible expansion of US Coast Guard activity in Bermuda ? also drove yesterday?s debate.

After meeting Government officials, Senator McCain spoke briefly to The Royal Gazette while dashing to vote on controversial new immigration laws covering the Mexican border.

He said the meeting was ?excellent? and added: ?I was pleased to see our Consul General as well as the Premier and other Ministers.?

He said the need for a Coast Guard presence in Bermuda was raised and would be looked at.

Asked about his impressions of Bermuda, he said: ?I?ve been there many times. I love the place, love it.?

Attempts to speak to Senator Frist were unsuccessful, but he said in a statement that he found yesterday?s dialogue ?very productive?.

?The United States and Bermuda have a strong, cooperative, and multi-faceted relationship that has endured for more than 200 years.

?Today?s meeting underscores the strength of the bonds linking Bermuda and the United States. I look forward to working with Premier Scott and Consul General Slayton to continue to strengthen our partnership.?

Earlier, the Premier had breakfast with officials from the World Bank.

He said further details emerged of a proposed global catastrophe fund, which would provide a financial safety net for the Island in the event of another natural disaster striking.

World Bank financial experts were developing a model that could address one of the key concerns of smaller countries, who fear they would be unable to afford potentially high flat-rate premiums, the Premier revealed.

He said countries would be able to ?pick and choose? sectors they could afford to be covered, for example, a key industry like tourism or cover extensive damage to infrastructure.

The idea, Mr. Scott added, was to start with a regional fund but eventually turn it into a global pot, meaning if one or two countries were hit in a hurricane season the new business interruption insurance scheme would be more stable.

Senators were sympathetic to Bermuda?s concerns on this, he added, particularly in the wake of last summer?s hurricane season that left a trail of destruction on the Gulf Coast.

He said the Minister of Finance, Paula Cox, had asked that the World Bank come back with an update and firm figures.

Updating reporters last night on the stop-list talks, the Premier said he was ?guardedly optimistic? that the US might be ready to class people with rehabilitation certificates as not having criminal records. This could help hundreds of Bermudians, he estimated.

He also said that Senator McCain had been ?most receptive? to the idea of basing a US Coast Guard station in Bermuda, which the Premier said would also deter drug traffickers.

The Senator told the Island delegation that the current Coast Guard chief was stepping down so with a new man in place, any expansion of resources would be timely.

?What he?s asked us to do is to forward him any correspondence with the US on this subject and he would pick it up from there.?

He said it was too early to say whether Bermudians would staff any such base, but there was a possibility of local involvement.

? See additional coverage of the Bermuda-US meetings in Business, Page 30