Bermuda's lobbyist in Washington, DC, yesterday -- but a top Government Government official denied any knowledge of the man.

A report by the United States General Accounting Office said Mr. Jeffrey Bergner, the former staff director of the committee, was hired as the Bermuda Government representative before the federal government between 1986 and 1991.

But Assistant Cabinet Secretary Mr. Leo Mills said Government had no knowledge of Mr. Bergner, although he said it was possible he had worked for Bermuda's lobbyists in a minor role.

Mr. Bergner has also represented the governments of Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, South Korea, Panama, Colombia, Bermuda and Germany, the GAO report said, according to The Associated Press.

Bermuda was represented by lobbyist Mr. William Regan until the late 1980s when he retired. Mr. Regan took a leading role in the negotiations for the tax treaty.

"It is possible that he was employed by Bill Regan in the past, but he was not a major player and he is certainly not anyone who is known in the Cabinet Office,'' Mr. Mills said.

He added that Government hires lobbyists in Washington from time to time, but he did not believe it currently retained a lobbyist on a full time basis.

The report said Mr. Bergner was one of 82 former high-ranking US officials hired by foreign governments and companies to represent them before the federal government between 1986-1991.

"We did not determine whether these officials' representational activities for foreign interests before the US government violated any conflict-of-interest laws,'' said the GAO, the investigative arm of Congress.

Mr. Bergner was listed with 32 other ex-senior congressional staff members and 39 former officials of executive branch agencies.

Also listed were former Senators Paul Laxalt and Mark Andrews and former Representative Don L. Bonker and seven former White House officials. The 82 represented clients in 43 countries.

The GAO said the 82 represented 1.5 percent of the former top officials who left the US government between the 1986 and 1991 fiscal years. Three percent of officials who left office between 1980 and 1985 were hired.

The report was compiled at the request of Democratic Reps. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, Frank Guarini of New Jersey and Howard Wolpe of Michigan; and Republican Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia.

The three Democrats said they're introducing legislation that would permanently prohibit senior members of the executive and legislative branches from representing foreign interests in trade matters before the US government.

The bill also would create an elite, professional group of US trade negotiators.