on the future of the UK's Dependent Territories early next year.

The Committee for the Independence of Bermuda accused Government of saying that they did not want to be involved.

And a spokesman claimed that sources close to the conference organisers had said that no response to a request to reconsider attending the London conference had been received.

The Committee also called on the Premier to include two PLP delegates in the five-strong team Bermuda could send to the conference.

But the Premier blasted back that she was still waiting on a reply to questions on what the set-up for the conference will be and whether a Bermuda delegation would be able to make a difference to the outcome of a review of the UK's relations with its dozen Dependent Territories.

And she insisted that she would decide then whether the February trip was worth the cost to the tax-payer.

Ms Gordon said: "We have asked the Governor to find out out on our behalf what it will mean in terms of our position.

"Until I can get a directive back saying exactly what the conference is about, I won't decide whether we will be there or not.

"We have said we will only consider participating if we know exactly what it's going to mean.'' Governor Thorold Masefield revealed last month that a rewrite of relations between the UK and its Dependent Territories would be revealed by new broom Labour Foreign Secretary Robin Cook at the Dependent Territories Association meeting.

Ms Gordon said then that if the conference was to be a "preconceived and predetermined'' statement, Bermuda could get it by "fax or phone.'' She said yesterday that the requested submission from Bermuda on how it would like relations between the Island and the UK to develop would be in the hands of the Governor by Friday.

But she added: "If Robin Cook has already decided what the outcome is going to be, there's no purpose in going to London.

"I'm very conscious of the Country's concerns about jaunts -- we can't get verification or justification for the $30,000 cost of the trip and what it would mean for Bermuda if we go. It's not that we want to stand off and not be counted.

"And if we don't get proper response, we just won't be going -- it's as simple as that.'' Committee for Independence spokesman Walton Brown, however, insisted the conference would give Bermuda a global audience for its views on the future links with the UK.

He added that Bermuda -- as the most populous of the remaining BDTs following the handover of Hong to China in the summer -- was obliged to be involved in the conference.

He added: "Conferences such as these allow Bermuda to build stronger relationships with the other territories. It is a very important opportunity for lobbying British officials.'' GOVERNMENT GVT INDEPENDENCE IND