steal credit for the Premier's diplomatic efforts on the US Base issue, Delegated Affairs Minister the Hon. Sir John Sharpe charged last night.

It threatens to upset the efforts that only the elected leader of the country can conduct, he said in a prepared statement.

"I believe the comments on this issue by Mr. Wade are a desperate bid to try and steal the credit for what can only be described as key accomplishments by Sir John Swan for the benefit of all Bermudians,'' Sir John said.

"I cannot stand by silently when such an obvious attempt to score political points of an issue of national importance is being made.'' Sir John's statement came after Mr. Wade ridiculed the Premier's Tuesday meeting in Washington with Congressman Ron Dellums, chairman of the House Arms Services Committee, in a corridor outside the House of Representatives.

Hours after the meeting, the Congressman pledged to remove a Defence Bill provision that would have withdrawn funding from the US Naval Air Station 90 days after passage.

Mr. Wade said the Premier's meeting amounted to "two or three words'', a hand shake and a publicity photo. "It was a brief encounter of the shortest kind,'' he told a Press conference.

A Royal Gazette reporter, who witnessed the meeting, said Mr. Dellums was brought from the House chamber where he was participating in back-to-back votes on the Defence Bill.

Sir John put forward Bermuda's concerns that the 90-day provision would impose an "unreasonable burden'' on Bermuda, which didn't have the trained personnel to take over air traffic control and search and rescue and fire fighting operations now conducted by US Navy personnel.

He said the provision, which is contained in the 1994 Defence Authorisation Bill, could result in the closure of the Civil Air Terminal.

His pitch took about three minutes during which Mr. Dellums listened intently.

Then the Congressman said: "Your point is reasonable. It makes sense and we'll work to resolve it. It is not my desire to adversely affect you in this precipitous way.'' When the news was reported in Bermuda, the PLP released a statement from Congressman Albert Wynn who said he had put Bermuda's case to Mr. Dellums at Mr. Wade's telephone request before the Premier's Tuesday meeting.

He said his own meeting resulted in Mr. Dellums assuring him that "he would use all his influence to resolve the situation in a manner favourable to Bermuda.'' Mr. Wade, who was in Washington last night visiting with the Black Caucus of Congress, could not be reached to answer why he did not announce Mr. Dellums' statement when he learned of it.

In his statement last night, Sir John Sharpe said Mr. Wade's comments on the Base issue were dangerous.

"They send mixed signals to Washington at a time when Bermuda must be sending one clear message.

"That message was delivered and must continue to be delivered by one man and that man has to be the Premier of our country.

Sir John was with the Premier in Washington and last week in Brussels when they met NATO leaders on the Base.

"I was witness to the careful negotiations that took place,'' he said. "The suggestions made that Mr. Wade or his colleagues had anything to do with the significant achievements accomplished by our Premier are absurd.'' Sir John continued: "Mr. Wade and the PLP came late to this issue and ill-prepared to operate on the world stage.

"In fact, it was not very long ago that the PLP was advocating we charge the US rent for the bases. That is not a plan, it is suicide for our country.'' Charging the United States rent for its Bermuda bases has been a long-time plank of the PLP.

It was last stated explicitly in the party's 1991 Budget response when critic Mr. Eugene Cox said ways must be found to get a "greater monetary contribution from the US Government for the right to retain the US Base in this Country...'' In February this year, Mr. Wade said Bermuda would be better off with tax revenues from the Base. And his colleague, Mr. Ottiwell Simmons, said it was reasonable for Bermuda to tax the base as a landlord had the right to charge a tenant.

The UBP has throughout rejected taxing the base, saying it contributes more than $80 million annually to the local economy, including the airport operation.